The Special Relationship
by scribe4hire
Summary: AH. AU. A body in the wrong place at the wrong time brings DCS Carlisle Cullen, head of the Metropolitan Police's SCI unit into contact with FBI Agent Esme Marshall, can they forget their past and work together to stop disaster Give it a try!
1. Chapter 1

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT. **

**AN: I know that there are quite a few police stories on FF, but I don't think there are many CXE ones. Pairing these ****type ****of police officers together has been done many times in fiction and on TV over the years by more talented than me, but I hope you can spare a few minutes to read and review. This is set in England. I'm making most of the gang English-please give it a try! I'll try and keep slang as general as possible, I'll list any words that may not be general knowledge to foreign or even English readers, especially younger ones, at the end. If I miss something please PM me and I'll try and explain. M rated for language and images at moment.**

**CARLISLE POV**

If I didn't know any better, or hadn't seen just how hard and how fucking bravely my father had fought the cancer which had ravaged his body and taken his life a mere four months after it's diagnosis, I would have sworn that the old man had died when he did on purpose. He knew that to me, society social events were a fate worse than death, none more so than the Cullen Trust Gala Dinner. It was a room that had on one side those who seemed to have signed not the hypocratic, but hypocritic oath and were overindulging in every vice they chastised their patients for and on the other, those doctors who were more concerned about the advancement of their own careers rather than that of medical science.

But seeing first hand earlier that day, the skill and dedication of those unsung hero's and heroines who work at the front line of the National Health Service, not to mention my desire to do what little I could to bring my mother some comfort, had softened my mood a little and forced me into my tuxedo and plastered a smile on my face. However as my mother focused the attention of a particularly loud and overbearing Sloane ranger on me, I felt my patience begin to wear as thin as my jaw achingly tight smile. Managing to excuse myself, I was mid way across the floor of the Royal College of Surgeons grand dining room, heading towards the bar, where I hoped to find a whisky large and deep enough to drown myself in when I caught out of the corner of my eye, two nervous, underdressed figures hovering in the doorway.

"Oh Carlisle no…surely somebody else can deal with it? You work far too long and hard as it is…I know the Met is understaffed and overstretched, but really." My mother scolded as I hurried a goodbye and kissed her cheek.

_I wasn't vain, but I liked to eat healthily and keep in shape, it was a necessity for my job, and knowing that I had a four course meal to face that night, I had made my excuses and skipped the heavy lunch that followed a meeting at Scotland Yard. I had retreated to New Moon a little bistro near Rox Hill, the police station or "nick" that my team worked from._

_I had just returned to my car and was about to open the driver's door when I was flattened against it by a car speeding past. But before I could call in the number plate, I was distracted by hysterical screaming coming from a little further up the road. I covered the distance quickly and eased myself to the front of the crowd which had gathered round the prone bodies of a mother and a little girl of about three who had been crossing the road._

_The mother was conscious and screaming in pain and fear as she tried to reach for her ominously still little girl. With the help of some of the crowd I managed to keep order until uniform officers arrived._

"_Pleease…my baby…pleassse." The mother had moaned as despite her own injuries, she tried to fight the hands that were attempting to keep her still. "Kellly…Kelly talk to Mummy…" she pleaded._

"_Where the fuck is that ambulance?" I bellowed at the uniform officers over my shoulder as I dropped to my knees by the little girl. We were lucky that the hospital wasn't far away and that there were several nurses doing shopping in their lunch hours. There were two around Kelly, one holding her head still, whilst the other kept an anxious eye on her breathing._

"_Come on Kelly…please sweetheart." I had whispered taking a cold little hand in mine. I felt so helpless but the nurses said that she seemed to be responding to the stimulation of my voice, so I kept talking, encouraging never letting go of her hand. And it seemed that my father had heard my frantic pleas as Kelly began to come round, she was groggy and disorientated and she became distressed when I had to move aside for the paramedics. They didn't know if she was genuinely upset or if it was a sign of a head injury, but they were desperate to keep her calm so I had climbed into the back of the ambulance with her._

"_Mummmy." She had whimpered in a voice that was barely audible._

"_Mummy's alright sweetheart, you'll see her very soon I promise…" I had said as I stared into Kelly's large, frightened eyes. My heart clenched painfully in my chest as I took in her small fragile frame on the large guerney._

"_My name is Carlisle…I'm a policeman…I'm going to look after you till we find your Mummy…"I had told her._

_Two hours later after receiving profuse thanks from Kelly's mother Rebecca, who had sustained a broken arm and leg and being assured that Kelly who had a fractured pelvis was stable, I had swept through the doors of the unit barking out the registration number of the car._

"_W288 CBW…I want it and whoever was driving it found…NOW!" I had barked._

_It had been stolen a week ago. I had put a bulletin out for it, but I didn't hold out much hope. All I could hope was that little Kelly would be okay._

"Please tell me it's not Kelly." I said as I approached Detective Inspector Jasper Whitlock my long time friend and colleague and new boy on the team Detective Constable Jake Black.

"No sir, she's still stable…" Jake began nervously.

I noisily let out the breath that I hadn't realized I was holding

"Walk and talk." I said clapping them both on the shoulder as I guided them from the room. "Well whatever it is you're here for…you timed it perfectly." I said as we stepped into the cool night air

"Is the old ermine and pearl cloak weighing a little heavy on your shoulders tonight your Lordship?" Jasper teased.

"Bloody thing was practically strangling me…" I huffed as I folded myself into the passenger seat of Jasper's car.

"You okay Jake?" I asked catching sight of the younger man's face in the mirror. Jake still couldn't quite get his head round the fact that by day I was Detective Chief Superintendant Carlisle Cullen, head of the Metropolitan Police Force's Serious Crime Initiative and by night and at other usually really inconvenient moments, I was the new Lord Cullen of Harrowview. A title I had never wanted in the first place and one that I hated even more now that it meant that my father Aro, the eighteenth Lord Cullen, was gone.

My father and his grandfather before him had insisted on doing more with their lives than living off the money collected from the various farms and small holdings at Harrowview. My grandfather had become a surgeon during the First World War but it was during the Second that his skills came to the fore. He had been one of the surgeons that had helped Archibald Macindoe, pioneer the treatment of burned fighter pilots. My father had become a noted cardiologist. He had set up the Cullen Trust as a charity for surgical research. I on the other hand did not possess the stomach for medicine and much to my mother's horror had joined the Metropolitan Police after graduating from Oxford. I joined on the fast track graduate scheme and it was hard but I worked hard and earned the respect of all I worked with, even holding myself back from promotion when I thought I wasn't ready or experienced enough. Not for me a career spent pen pushing, I worked drugs squads, vice, child protection, serious crime, all the posts that would let me do real police work. I had feared that once I had reached my current rank I would be forced behind a desk, I was all ready to resign my rank before I even officially received it, but the Comissoner and the Home Secretary who had co founded my unit, had said that with large amounts of resources being diverted to protecting London from terrorist activity, there was a real need for a unit that would focus on protecting London from criminal threats closer to home. I had the experience, the drive and was as an old school copper had once told me "a bloody good thief taker". The ultimate compliment.

"Um yes your Lordship…sir…"

I smiled at him. I knew how he felt, I still couldn't take it what had happened. Was it really only six months since the force of nature that was my father had been taken?

"So?" I began casting a glance at Jasper.

"Explosion at a crack den on the Lowry Estate."

My SCI unit dealt with the drugs trade obviously, but we usually dealt with the bigger players.

"And…don't keep me in suspenders?" I urged. I had known Jasper ever since he had turned up at Harrow Public school, effectively dumped by his American diplomat father and socialite mother. We had become great friends. It had been on a weekend at the family country house that Jasper had met Alice, an American post grad student friend of my younger brother Edward. Jasper was Texan by birth, but you wouldn't know unless he was tired or played up his accent. He was however more than happy to allow Alice to "save horses and ride a cowboy."

"I wouldn't dream of it…the thought of your legs in suspenders is a truly awful thought." Jasper shuddered. Jasper and I played on the same five a side soccer team. I growled. "The three occupants were not killed by smoke, flame or the large cloud of crack cocaine that is floating over London."

That had my attention.

"Execution style bullets to the back of the head…"

"Okay, interesting but still not really our business, surely it's local Drug Squad…"

"They found a body in what was left of the flat upstairs…" Jake burst out before blushing. I couldn't help but grin at his enthusiasm.

"Eight including our junkie friends. Two firemen" Jasper said to the question about casualties he could see in my eyes.

" Shit…this fucking day just gets better. And this body is important because…?"

"They found a very well done forged passport and driving license on him plus, ammo for some serious hard wear. So what was left of him was dumped on me…Alice is not happy…it's her birthday."

"I'll make it up to her." Alice was born on February 29th in a leap year, so whilst her "official" birthday was only once every four years, she chose a different day every other year to celebrate.

"Oh I know that, but I don't think a trip to Harrods will cut much ice with Emmett…Hamley's maybe…he finally got the balls to ask out that actress.

"Bella Swan." Jake stammered.

Bella Swan was a hot American actress who had been researching her new role as a pathologist at Emmett's lab. But instead of falling at her feet drooling over her beauty and killer curves, Emmett had rigged a cadaver she was looking at to move as she touched it. Her "people" had thrown a fit, but Bella had laughed and insisted that Emmett become her main technical advisor. He had finally taken the very large hint she had dropped and asked her out.

"What's he found?"

Jasper shrugged. "Won't say over the phone, he wants us all to suffer his pain."

****

"_**I'm a fire starter…twisted fire starter…"**_

The music was deafeningly loud as we stepped into Dr Emmett McCarty's pathology lab, but the three of us were dissuaded from complaining straight away, by the sight of Emmett who was six foot three in height and just as wide in muscle, heavy handedly slapping around some internal organs.

"Took your damn time." He growled finally looking up at us.

"Down 23." He called out, Emmett loved his gadgets and one of his favourites was a voice activated sound system. The music's volume fell.

"So, Bella Swan…how long are those legs?" Jasper asked. There was apparently a great debate in the gossip magazines as to just how long and gorgeous Bella Swan's legs were. Emmett glared at me.

"Do you expect me to talk?" I asked. I was wearing a tux, Emmett and several other people often commented that I bore more than a passing resemblance to Daniel Craig the new James Bond. I had to try and lighten the mood somehow!

"No Mister Bond, I expect you to all shut the hell up and listen, so I can get the hell out of here and maybe actually find out how far up those damn legs actually go!" he huffed, but he was smiling.

"Right…the gentleman they found in flat 4E…his paperwork says he's Ian Oliver, but his DNA…" Emmett began as he yanked out a shelf from his body lockers. Jake, Jasper and I all flinched at the noise and the smell. I hated looking at dead bodies at the best of times, but burnt ones, even ones that had only been slightly singed like this one always made my stomach lurch.

Emmett looked at us, rolled his eyes and muttered something about barbeque, which sent Jake running from the room. Emmett's chuckle which seemed to echo off the tiled walls was truly sinister.

"Alright Doctor Lector…can we get on?" I snapped as I fought to keep my chargrilled lamb from earlier in the evening in my stomach.

"Of cour…ssse." Emmett said drawing the end of the word into his Hannibal lector liver and chianti noise. "There were no fingerprints, they were taken off before this fire, so I checked the DNA database and it started screaming at me very loudly in a Langley sounding American accent."

"CIA?" Jasper queried

"What? Who the fuck is he?" I demanded.

****

**AN: Okay, so **

**Sloane Ranger= a wealthy often aristocratic society girl. They tended to live in or around Sloane Square in London. This term is a bit old fashioned now, but it would be one Carlisle at his age (35) would use.**

**A "nick"= a slang term for a police station. Criminals also often say that they've been "nicked" instead of arrested.**

**Thief Taker= that's what old school coppers(policemen/women) call an officer with real skill who works hard and has a good, high arrest rate.**

**Fire Starter is a song by the Prodigy.**

**Hamley's is THE biggest and best toy store in London.**

**Anything I missed just ask.**

**Scribex**


	2. Chapter 2

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT.**

**AN; Aww you guys, you really are the best. Listing it in your Favourite's already! I know it's a bit different but thanks for giving it a try. Please keep reading and reviewing, it means a lot. So some of this chapter isn't too confusing**

**Blag=robbery, Blaggers=robbers. Nicked=stolen**

**In terms of hierarchy of rank, the lower ranks would call Jasper "Guv" short for "the governor" the man who was in charge of them on a day to day basis. And they would call Carlisle "sir", with occasional slips into Guv depending on the circumstance**

**ESME POV**

I didn't think.

Didn't give the bastard who had made the mistake of trying to mug me whilst I was running think either. I simply grabbed the hand he had placed on me, pivoted and used my momentum to heave him over my hip onto the asphalt. Just before my foot connected with his throat, I saw that it was Sam Tyler, the rookie agent that was on my team.

"FUCK! SAM! Do you have a death wish?" I demanded as I ripped the buds for my I-pod from my ears.

"Anger management…" I heard him mutter as he picked himself up and dusted down his new suit. Jesus, we were CIA not FBI! And the old rule stated that you should never wear a suit in the field that you weren't prepared for someone to rip or be sick or bleed over. Shit, that wasn't a "company" rule that was a MET police rule. Where the fuck had that come from?

"Sam you're lucky, most women who jog here carry military strength mace! And what the hell made you think coming up behind a woman, me? Was a good idea?"

"Not what who? Marcus wants you…yesterday."

I was on leave. I had been working flat out. I needed time out, Marcus had said so himself. So whatever this was, it must have been important.

****

"Please don't hurt me!" Marcus huffed with a laugh, raising his hands in defense as I entered his office half an hour later.

"Has junior been telling tales to Daddy?" I growled glaring out the window of Marcus' office at Sam who was buried beneath a pile of paperwork.

" Didn't need to, the boy was as pale as a ghost when he got here and he had to change his shirt. What did you do to him?"

"He grabbed my shoulder from behind when I was jogging."

"And he's still walking?" Marcus teased.

"Funny! What's so important? And why does the look on your face tell me that I won't be making it to Hawaii anytime soon." I whined.

Marcus waived his hand towards a chair motioning to me to sit.

"Andreas Honandez."

"Last intel said he was being tortured by some dissatisfied customer…some tyrant who wasn't pleased at buying a shipment of AK's with left hand triggers." I laughed. Honandez was an arms dealer we were watching.

"Well he obviously made up for it somehow. He's turned up in London…dead."

"Really?" I whistled.

"Really! He was found with the remains of some ammo for some heavy duty arms and a mobile number for a potential threat to both English and American security."

I winced. This was not good.

"As you can imagine, there are politicians on both sides of the water wondering just how the hell we could let him "wander off" I think was how they described it. Our President would like to develop our special relationship with the new British Prime Minister…this is not the best start. I need you over in London finding out what the hell Honandez was doing."

"Marcus…I'm tired…" I was exhausted both physically and mentally, not entirely on my game.

"Mae, I know and if I had anyone else I could trust I would." Marcus said. I believed him. "You know what they say, a change is as good as a rest." I glared.

"But London." I sighed.

"I know, but it's been what six years?"

" Seven."

"Well you are both grown ups, professionals."

"What? Wait a minute? Carlisle…he's still running the SCI? I thought…I thought he…quit…" I stammered, gripping the arms of the chair as the room began to spin.

"No, he's still in charge…still damn good. Mae please…I need you focused on this…"

"Don't worry, I will be…as you say, we're both grown up's professionals…" I said as I stumbled from the office.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**JASPER POV**

What happened?

We had done everything we should have? We had made arrests far more dangerous than this before. Nobody had got hurt as they had today.

_Jake had been embarrassed about running from Emmett's lab. We had assured him that everyone had done it, especially when Emmett was in a particularly spiteful mood, but Jake with the fragile ego of all those new to CID had decided that the best way to make us forget was to get a result on another case. Carlisle was in never ending meetings with the spooks from MI5, MI6 and various Government ministers over the Honandez situation. An international arms dealer being watched by both British and American security services does not just wander onto a housing estate in a rough part of London for no reason. _

"_Sir…" Jake and Leah Clearwater, a detective sergeant had appeared at my office door earlier that day._

_Leah had been trawling through the CCTV from the housing estate and the local area in an attempt to track Honandez's movements since he had entered the country ten days previously. _

"_Ladies first…" Jake had said with a wave of his hand and a smile that only enhanced his not bad looks. Leah had glared at him._

"_Jake?" I said looking at him first._

"_I've just had a call from the Flying Squad. They had a robbery at an electrical goods warehouse yesterday about a hundred grand's worth of stock. Blaggers, switched cars, the second one was the one that DCS Cullen put the search out for." He had said._

"_I've got something on that car too guv…it was parked up round the back of the estate from yesterday afternoon onwards. Right round the back in that maze of tunnels and garages that are round there."_

"_Uniform were told to search everywhere."_

"_C'mon sir, yesterday they had a football game and a march to look after and you know that we can't go on the estate in numbers smaller than threes." Leah argued._

"_Fair point."_

"_Anyway, I managed to get some stills off the camera of two men getting out of the car...shit quality, but I've sent them to be worked on with one image I managed to pull from the landing outside the junkies flat."_

_I had managed to get a message to Carlisle, who had called me back and told me to use my charm on the phototec boys and get the pictures hurried through._

_Ninety minutes later, Leah Jake and I were looking at clearer pictures of the two men who had been driving the car that hit little Kelly and a picture of two men caught on camera in the landing outside the dead junkies flat, hours later. They were the same men._

"_James Talbot and Caius Mitchell…Talbot is not long out of Belmarsh High Security prison…he and Mitchell have been associates since they were kids…petty, low level crimes until six months ago when Mitchell was picked up and questioned about the attack on a security guard delivering to a cashpoint. Mitchell has done a few getaway driving jobs in the past."Jake had said as he read from the file._

"_The junkie's flat was a mess, but Doc McCarty did say that they found some loose banknotes in a vent in the wall covered in Caius Mitchell's fingerprints." Leah had chipped in_

"_Any drugs stolen?" I had asked_

"_It's not easy to tell, but both Doc McCarty and the fire Investigation boys don't think so…they were going for the money…"_

"_And we're certain that it wasn't a rival dealer that took out the junkies?"_

"_Still checking but so far no, it's been pretty quiet lately and none of the main firms have taken on any new muscle as protection, so it appears Talbot and Mitchell were working for themselves."_

"_So I guess we can safely assume that they were involved in the electrical heist that the Flying Squad are looking into…"_

_At that moment, my phone had rung. The Flying Squad, the unit that specializes in large scale armed robbery had received a tip off. They had arrived at a storage warehouse on an industrial estate, to find what was left of the team that had carried out the electrical goods heist. They were all dead and a large percentage of the load they had stolen was gone. CCTV had seen all of them going in, but only Talbot and Mitchell driving out. It appeared the old saying was wrong there was no honour amongst thieves._

_Even with the cut that would be taken by the people Talbot and Mitchell would use to sell the stolen electrical goods, they would still be looking to receive a large amount of money, add to that what they took from the junkies flat, local intelligence had informed us that it was the main supply and storage house for the local area and could be doing fifty to seventy five grand's worth of business a week. These two, formerly low level criminals were gathering a lot of money together very fast. It was almost as if they were attempting to bankroll a larger job, but they didn't have the brains or the contacts for that did they?_

_Whilst Leah began checking out who James Talbot might have been mixing with in prison, Jake and I along with two of the others in the office who seemed to have nothing better to do, had gone to check out their last known addresses. It was a long shot that they would actually be there, but these were guys who left finger prints and held on to a car that was wanted in connection with two separate crimes._

_At Mitchell's address all we found was an ex girlfriend who wanted her child support. Talbot lived in a quiet little cul de sac, his parents had left him the house when he died mortgage free. We were armed and wearing Kevlar as a precaution more than anything. But Kevlar can only protect you so much, especially at close range. I had approached the front of the house with Jake whilst DC Harris and DC Tweed had gone round the back. Talbot and Mitchell were home. And expecting pizza judging by what we heard them saying to each other. It seems Talbot has more of the natural cunning needed to survive on the streets than Mitchell, as he told him to check for a bike. In the thirty seconds that followed, Jake and I got a glance at Mitchell, before we were diving for cover from the glass and the bullets that Mitchell was pumping through the front window in an attempt to hold us off._

_Harris and Tweed had not had much chance to find cover in the small back garden, that was why they were currently in surgery and intensive care respectively. And Talbot and Mitchell were god knows where._

"Jazz…" Carlisle said, pulling me from my reverie. He was striding towards where I was standing outside the hospital having a smoke. With his dark coat flapping behind him and his deep blue eyes flashing dangerously in his pale, tense face, he looked like an avenging angel bearing down on me.

"We did everything right, we were armed, wearing armour, dammit we are all class A marksmen…we've done pick-up's of harder bastards than these two little shits with less people…" I exploded.

"Easy Jazz, easy…how are they?"

"They reckon Tweed is going to pull through, Harris is still touch and go…"

"Jake?"

"Back at the office, he's got a few cuts and scrapes like me…but I'm sure DS Clearwater will look after him." I chuckled grimly.

"What? Since when?" he demanded.

"I don't think it's been going on long…"

"Fuck that…tomorrow, I want you to find out for sure and if there is something, I want them separated…you got a spare one of those?" Carlisle growled as he pointed to my cigarette.

It was standard procedure to separate officers that started relationships with each other, but Carlisle was not usually such a stickler for the rules as long as they kept it discreet and it didn't affect their work. And I hadn't seen him smoke in years. He saw the concern and surprise in my eyes but didn't answer until he took a long drag of his cigarette, coughing only slightly as he inhaled.

"The CIA are sending a liason officer to "assist" us with finding out what the hell Honandez was doing here…" Carlisle sneered as he leant back against the wall.

"Well, when we found Thierson's number on his mobile, we kinda figured that could happen." I said cautiously.

"They're sending Mae." He almost whispered as he closed his eyes and took another long pull on his cigarette.

"Wait…not Mae, Mae…your Mae." I stammered.

He nodded. It had been seven years, but the pain that was radiating from Carlisle at this moment was a raw as it had been then.

"Shiiit." I hissed. " Are you okay? Can you handle it?"

"Of course!" he snapped, his eyes snapping open and fixing me with a chilling glare. "Why wouldn't I be able to handle it?" it was a rhetorical question as he ground his cigarette butt viciously beneath his heel and stalked off into the hospital. Telling me that seeing Mae again was affecting him a little more than he cared to admit.

**ESME POV**

"You're looking good Mae…" Jasper said warmly as he entered the small room where Rosie Hale, the CIA pathologist that I had bought with me, had been asked to wait when we landed in London.

"You too Jazz…" He was Carlisle's best friend, but we had enjoyed a solid friendship, that had obviously become strained after what happened, but had endured.

"This is Doctor Rosie Hale pathologist and martial artist." I said with a little laugh. It was Jasper who had turned me onto martial arts and whilst I could give him a good work out, he was always struggling to find an opponent that could really stretch him…other than Carlisle. I saw a gleam of interest in his eyes, but he shook his head.

"Nope, martial arts won't do her much good…wrestling maybe."

"Emmett's not happy." I winced.

"You could say that. He is storming around like the proverbial bear with a sore head, tooth ache and a hangover, but he hasn't had a good diva strop in a while. Carlisle will find the money to buy him some shiny new gizmo…"

I couldn't stop the shudder that gripped my body at the mention of Carlisle's name.

"How's Alice?" I asked quickly, Alice and I had been as close as sisters. She was the only one who knew the truth.

"Insisting that you and Rose stay with us…"

"I…I mean…Carlisle…"

"Doesn't argue with Alice. He forgot her birthday…this is payback."

Jasper gave both Rosie and I a briefing in the car ending with how he had come by the various small cuts and bruises that adorned his face. I wasn't going to the unit, wasn't going to see Carlisle till the next morning. The professional part of me wanted to get started, but there was nothing we could really do in what was left of the day. Everyone was looking for Mitchell and Talbot and checking their sources to try and find what possible job they could be trying to bank roll. The emotional part of me was glad of the chance for a little more time.

Rose had crashed out and I was planning the same. I came in from the shower to find Alice sitting Indian style on the bed.

"Alice…I'm kinda tired."

She didn't move. I snatched up my night clothes and returned to the bathroom to change. I held out returning to the bedroom for as long as possible, but even when I did return, she was still there.

"Alice…please…" I whined.

"You have nothing you want to ask me?" she queried.

I had a million different things I wanted to know, things that I no longer had the right to know, the right to wonder about.

"Nope."

"You really aren't interested in the fact that he's still single." She trilled as she clambered off the bed. I was glad that she had her back to me and couldn't see how her words had almost taken my legs from under me. I shouldn't care. It was none of my business. I was here to do a job nothing more

"No."

"There was someone…a really great girl called Angie. She had him laughing, you know, that laugh that causes his eyes to crinkle up in that really cute way."

I remembered that laugh only too well, how it made him seem younger, more relaxed. I had been haunted by the deep, rich, musical sound of that laugh for months…years.

"What happened?" the words were out before I realized.

"She wasn't you." Alice said sadly turning in the doorway.

Was she trying to torture me? This was going to take every ounce of professionalism I could muster. I couldn't cope if I had Alice ripping at barely healed wounds.

"Alice…that's not fair…"

"No, it wasn't…for any of us." she said sadly closing the door.

Tailored business suit with boots rather than shoes, hair pulled back off my face, barely there makeup. Professional, businesslike, ready to work. I could do this. I had to do this.

Five minutes after Jasper and I had entered the SCI, Carlisle burst through the doors. He was wearing a dark suit with a deep blue shirt which only served to highlight his coloring and his eyes, which even with the brief glance he spared me, felt like they were searing my skin with their intensity. He quickly issued orders to his team before he waved a hand in my general direction. It was taking all I had to keep facing forward and not allow my eyes devour every inch of his face, the long lean body which allowed him to wear his expensive suit with such a casual, sexy ease. Fuck Esme! Focus.

"The powers that be have decreed that two heads are better than one on this case, so we have the pleasure of Agent Esme Marshall from the CIA's company." He had dragged out my first name, which he knew I hated. "You are to offer her any assistance she may ask for. She has intelligence that could offer us potential breakthroughs, but I assure you she is no pen pushing desk jockey, if it comes to it out on the street, she'll be there when you need her."

My heart sputtered slightly in my chest at the tone and generosity of his words. Being professional, he could have given me a dry introduction and left to run the usual scrutiny of the troops. Instead he had given them a validation of my abilities and I could see how much they valued his word. But before I could thank him, he was gone. Sweeping into his office and not slamming the door, but closing it in a way that clearly stated he didn't want to be disturbed

**CARLISLE POV**

As I sank into the leather chair behind my desk and buried my head in my hands, I thanked god that I had left the blinds on the windows that allowed me to see the team drawn.

She was here. My Mae as Jasper, as I during those long damn nights when I couldn't shut my eyes for seeing her face called her. She was still stunning, trying to hide it only made it more obvious. Those cheekbones, so high, sharp enough to cut…those eyes…the hazel flecks that would flash even brighter against the deep green when she was angry, that flawless skin…so soft, just like those full lips which moved in perfect unison with mine…which tasted so damn go…

Thankfully, my phone rang before I could let my tortured mind, which with what happened to Harris and Tweed and Mae's arrival had allowed me little rest, lingered on the body she was hiding in the severely tailored suit. She looked thinner, her body harder

"Cullen." I barked into the phone, shaking my head in an attempt to clear it, to focus.

Five minutes later, I was standing behind my door, almost crushing the handle as I tried to focus. I had to face her properly we had just been called to a meeting. I had to be alone with her, for the short car journey at least. But that would still be long enough for my head to fill with her intoxicating scent, long enough for me to have to fight the almost magnetic pull her body had on mine…still.

"Fuck Carlisle…focus." I hissed as I let my head rest against the door for a moment.

"Okay you lot…I'm leaving the collection jar for Harris and Tweed on my desk…paper money only…and no freaking Euro's this time." I heard Leah shout across the office.

Harris and Tweed. Two good officers, Harris has a wife and child…that he might never see grow up. He was still on the critical list. I allowed myself to see Harris' face, Tweed's, little Kelly who was doing better, but was still not out of the woods.

"Agent Marshall…your company has been requested at a meeting…" I barked as I swept from my office and headed for the exit. It went against my natural instincts, striding ahead of her, letting doors slam in her face. Carlisle Cullen, you are charged with cowardly, ungentlemanly behavior, how do you plead? I heard the little voice in my head boom as I strode ahead. I was guilty, guilty as hell…but it was self defense.


	3. Chapter 3

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; Thankyou to everyone who keeps listing and reviewing this story please keep hitting the button, it means a lot. Now CXE do get physical in this chapter in more ways than one, but just so no one is confused it is a flash back. Have them made up by chapter 3? This is me remember, I have to torture them for a little while longer! LOL! M rated. Whilst I do think it's criminal the lack of resources that the Government has for returning soldiers, I DO NOT think all soldiers children are going to turn into criminals. Christian Theirson's story is REAL, it was in a history of the Secret Services I read a few years ago. His name is not, neither is what I plan for him to do. M Rated.**

**CARLISLE POV**

"Julian…I thought we'd moved on from all this cloak and dagger stuff." I said holding out my hand to the small, portly man whose eyes disappeared when he removed his glasses to wipe his sweating brow. He looked more like a nervous bank manager than a spy.

"One can never be too careful Carlisle…" he said narrowing his eyes slightly at Mae who was standing a little further away gazing out at the Houses of Parliament that sat across the Thames. We were on the bank, surrounded by joggers, mothers with children and various office workers on their lunch hour. "Forgive me this is…"

"Mae Marshall, CIA liason." Mae said with a tight smile. It was enough for Julian.

"Charmed my dear." He replied, anyone else saying something so clichéd would have grated on both mine and Mae's nerves, but it all added to Julian's old fashioned charm.

"Shall we…" I said motioning that we walk with my hand. Julian glared at me. He was a man who enjoyed the comfortable office and long lunches he had earned over the years. But as Mae hovered near my shoulder and I was hit by a wave of her scent and my body crackled in response to the proximity of hers to mine, I wished we could walk.

"Thierson…" Mae prompted

"Yesss, Christian Theirson…he is what you might call the ghost of Christmas yet to come…" Julian mused as he lowered himself onto a bench. Mae and I sat on either side of him. "His father Frank was a Falklands war veteran…brave man, commendations, medals, his commanding officers and comrades couldn't speak highly enough of him…he was wounded rescuing his CO and two others from an ambush. His physical wounds healed, his mental ones did not as Christian and his mother found out. He had all the signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but the treatment then alas, consisted of a medic telling you to go get drunk and pull yourself together, which in turn only made his problems worse. We have come a long way since then of course…but I fear that the longer our current conflict continues the more stretched our already meager resources for handling our returning soldiers less obvious needs will become…leading to more angry young men like Theirson wanting to strike a blow for not only what their father's and now mother's have suffered, but also what they were forced to endure as a result." Julian sighed. It was a chilling thought.

"Your new Prime Minister…" Mae began

"Miss Marshall…naievity really does not become you. Our new leader told us what we wanted to hear and it still didn't get him an outright majority. He's having to share the front bench…anyway, I have a lunch date so pressing on…Christian Theirson as you may imagine had been anti everything from a young age. He's a politics and Government graduate but made a lot of money during the dot com boom. This allowed him to try the "fix it from the inside out" route and run for parliament. He stood three times and lost, but then of course in 2001, the world as we knew it came to an end. Theirson thought he had found kindred spirits, alas the necessary devotion and stomach for the cause is a little beyond him. However, this didn't stop him continuing to maintain and foster new associations…finance several of the attacks we have managed to stop. He's been quiet recently, flying well under our radar, but we think that that's him biding his time…he's been watching, learning…planning something big that he can blame on Al Queda. His plans have been slowed down we think by the fact he invested just over half of his fortune in Gregory Ross…"

" Is that the bank that went bust and was bought by the British Government?" Mae queried.

"The very same. Coup de ta's are never cheap, but in our current financial climate they are even more expensive than normal. Theirson on paper at least is only just holding his head above water, so we are very curious as to how he could afford to engage the services of Andreas Honandez."

The slow drip of ice water down my spine was fast becoming a torrent as a horrible idea began forming in my head. Glancing across at Mae, I could see that the same sort of thoughts were starting to form in her mind. My stomach clenched painfully as I remembered how people used to joke that we could not only read criminal minds but each others.

"Do you have anyone near Theirson at the moment?" I asked.

"We do…she says that Theirson has been slumming it a little recently, socializing with your more ordinary common criminal why?" Julian demanded, his beady little eyes moving quickly between Mae and I. I quickly filled him in on the little crime spree Mitchell and Talbot were engaged in, including them being only a floor below Honandez's flat. Julian and I made a few calls and the emailed photos that followed shortly after confirmed our fears. Julian's people had surveillance photo's of Theirson's right hand man Felix meeting with Mitchell and Talbot in a trendy East End Pub on two separate occasions.

The outcome of my seemingly interminable meetings with the Security services and Government gnomes over the last few days was that the SCI was to handle this operation. My enthusiasm and pride was tempered slightly by the knowledge that it was due to resource cuts and the intense scrutiny that both MI5 and MI6 were under in the press. It was a daunting thought that my unit, I would be responsible for discovering and stopping a possible threat to London, but I knew we…I could do it, especially with Mae by my side professionally if not personally.

"Well, I'll keep in touch Carlisle with regular updates from our source…but good hunting my friend…" Julian said shaking my hand firmly.

Mae and I sat quietly watching Julian waddle off into the crowd. Just another suit heading back to his office.

"I thought spies like him became extinct after the Cold War." Mae chuckled softly. I couldn't stop the small grin that twitched on my lips as I looked across at her. We were sitting as far away from each other on the bench as possible me with my arm draped across the back casually. All I had to do was stretch my fingers a little and I could touch her.

"We do like to maintain certain traditions." I sighed. Mae suddenly looked far away and her smile grew wider.

"What?"

"Nothing…" she said shaking her head.

"You know I hate it when you do that." I growled but I was smiling. So was she. She looked so beautiful. Our gazes locked.

"I was just thinking of our tradition of finishing a run with a burger from that little guy with the van that was somewhere along here." My heart sputtered painfully in my chest as I remembered those usually Sunday morning runs, where the burn of stretching my muscles, pushing myself, was usually quickly replaced with an even more intense burn of need as I watched Mae, keeping pace with me, pushing me as we ran. I never seemed to be able to stop myself from imagining how her legs, her arms, her body would look, would feel wrapped around me, moving beneath me.

"He moved on ages ago." I sighed.

**ESME POV**

"He moved on ages ago."

We were talking about a guy who owned a burger van for fuck's sake. But my heart began to clench painfully in my chest as I searched Carlisle's face, his tone for a sign that he was talking about himself. It was wrong, it was stupid, but as we had sat listening to Julian, our minds seemingly still able to synchronize, analyze and assess a information in that split second, as he had allowed me to take him a few steps down our memory lane, I felt the cool morning air between us begin to charge with that strange magnetism which seemed to pull us together not just mentally, but physically. It had been seven years, I had dated other men, I had even married one, but no one made me feel like Carlisle. With him, everything was brighter, louder more alive, shit I was more alive. Even in the hellish months…years that had followed my leaving, when I thought I was going to drown in the agonizing pain that would hit me in waves when I was least expecting it. The memory of Carlisle's face, his eyes shining with laughter and…love…the thought that maybe I would get the chance to see him again, to explain forced life back into my deadened limbs…my heart.

"Yes Emmett okay, we're on our way." I heard him say, I was just able to draw my eyes from his mouth.

"Shall we?" he said indicating with his hand that he wanted us to move. I jumped to my feet. We headed back towards the car, Carlisle keeping a clear distance between us.

"Emmett, you have finished dusting everywhere…why do we have to wear the monkey suits…?" I heard Carlisle grumble to Emmett as we pulled on the white paper scene of crime suits.

"Because…I thought even if we weren't friends anymore, which I thought we were by the way, you at least respected me professionally, had faith in my abilities." Emmett exploded suddenly at me, waving his fingerprint brush in the direction of my face.

"What? Of course I respect you, have faith in your abilities…and I hope we are still friends too." I said shocked.

"Then why…did you bring that woman…" he spat, waving his arm wildly towards the window, where I could see Rosie working with a small team processing the garden. "who has done nothing but second guess me, pick on every little thing I've done…"

"Rosie?" I said in shock.

"Oh is that her name? She never bothered to tell me…it's been Doctor Hale and Doctor McCarty…"

"Rose can be a little…difficult…I'll talk to her..."

" I'd be grateful if you could start talking to me Em…I want to see little Kelly this afternoon…" Carlisle said.

"How's she doing?"

"She's hanging in there…getting stronger."

I had to swallow hard to stop a sob escaping me as I saw the warmth and genuine concern that showed in Carlisle's eyes and smile as he spoke of the injured little girl.

"Well despite what Doctor Hale thinks…I am not totally incapable…I have taken this room apart, looked everywhere and found…" he waved his hand at a long work bench that sat in the center of the room that was obviously used as a store room.

"Cartridge paper…is that gun oil?" Carlisle asked

Emmett nodded. "But what I think you'll be more interested in is this…" he said indicating another evidence bag which contained a number of ripped pieces of paper. There were faint lines and writing visible…

"A map?" I queried

"I think so…it's been a while since I've done a jigsaw…but I'll give it my best shot." Emmett said seriously.

"It's important Em." Carlisle sighed

"When isn't it? You two will sweep in and save the world with a minute to spare, be the heroes whilst my contribution will be a mere footnote…" Emmett sighed dramatically.

"Yess, but we won't have the honour of having our names immortalized forever on the silver screen." Carlisle countered, quickly explaining that Emmett was helping Bella Swan the actress prepare for her new role. They had become, despite Emmett unleashing his not inconsiderable charm, great platonic friends and Bella had even had her character name changed to Emma McCarty. We left Emmett, but before we had got too far, we heard Emmett singing

"Bad Boys…Bad Boys whatcha gonna do? Watcha gonna do now Cullen and Mae are after you."

I had taken a step down the stairs, Carlisle was so close behind me, I could feel the heat radiating from him, smell, the clean linen musk and honey scent that was purely Carlisle.

"Do you think we can do it this time Mae? Sweep in with a minute to spare…save the world?" he asked, his voice was low, rough but with velvet softness. I could feel his breath against my cheek, I so desperately wanted to turn, see the look in his eyes but I knew if I did that I would be lost, any control I had would be shattered. I nodded my head, gripping the banister so hard my knuckles turned white.

"You said it yourself…together…we can do anything." I whispered.

"He is fucking hot…sorry…but he is…" Rose mumbled, blushing slightly as she took a noisy sip from her wine glass.

"Carlisle…looks well…" I said diplomatically.

"Uh huh, they make a hot couple don't they Rose?" Alice prompted. We were having a girly, boozy dinner whilst Jasper was out at soccer with Carlisle. We would probably regret it in the morning, but we all needed to let off steam. Rose had already admitted that she didn't hate Emmett, far from it. Rose had had to fight hard to be respected at Langley, even now in this time of equality, being a woman and having the disability of having reduced hearing on her right side made her job ten times harder. She just found it hard to let her guard down with a man that not only did she find attractive, but who she was also in awe of professionally. We had endured a twenty minute ramble about how talented and skilled Emmett was at his job, especially when he had to do it with half the equipment she had at Langley. His one failing however was that he spoke incredibly fast without looking at her…she had missed half of his attempts to try and talk to her and had been too proud to say anything, so she had retreated into her cold, aloof, bitchy shell. Alice had now turned her attentions as I knew she would, to me and Carlisle.

Rose nodded her head enthusiastically, ignoring my glare.

"It's not just the physical thing…"

"You mean the…seeing them going at it would probably be hotter than any damn porno movie thing?" Alice trilled

"Perverts!" I choked into my wine as Rose nodded, her filthy laugh echoing round the room.

"Exactly… but there's this power thing crackling around them…they're both strong…dangerous…but they seem to ground each other…there's a peace a safety that they make you feel…"

"That we make each other feel…" I sighed.

"So, this is a really stupid question…but I'm drunk…so it's allowed…how much did it hurt seeing him again?" Alice asked.

"It almost fucking killed me! It's wrong…I had my chance and I fucking blew it…"

"No, you had it stolen from you by an evil old bitch who deserves to rot in hell for what she did…I swear to god how I'm not in Holloway for ripping her to pieces I don't know." Alice raged.

"I wanted to touch him…I wanted him to touch me…I wanted to tell him…I wanted him to wrap his arms round me, tell me he understood, he forgave me…that everything was going to be okay…" I stammered my breath ragged with tears. I was drunk and my jet lag was hitting me.

"Oh sweetie…you still could." Alice said jumping up and wrapping her arms round me. I shook my head against her chest.

"It's too late…I left it too late."

_2003. I had been CIA liason to London, sitting on endless committee's formulating and discussing the new anti terror precautions and procedures both England and America were being forced to introduce since the horror of 9/11. That was where I had met Carlisle, the SCI had just been formed, he was the youngest DCS in the history of the MET and it showed. He was professionalism itself, his manners flawless, but I had noticed how he would fidget, not only in his seat but also the expensive suit he was wearing. He was a man after my own heart, who much preferred being in the field than the corridors of power._

_During a break I had snuck outside for a cigarette, only to find my pack empty. I didn't have time to go buy some, so I had followed my nose round the side of the building. Carlisle was leaning against a wall smoking, his body as loose as his tie, he looked…there was no other word for it…sexy. I hadn't been looking for a man, I had wanted to focus on my work, prove myself, get back in the field. But there was something about him…he was breathtakingly handsome…blonde, blue eyed with a dangerous smirk, that he had shot me discreetly across the meeting table as we had both rolled our eyes at some of the ridiculous ideas that were being thrown around by people whose experience came from books and computers. But there was something behind those fathomless blue eyes, a drive, a passion, a heart that I would learn was full of kindness and love that he was desperate but frightened to share._

"_Okay what's your price…?" I had groaned pointing at the cigarette packet._

_He observed me for a long moment before the smirk returned, causing my heart to start misbehaving in my chest._

"_Have lunch with me?" If his looks weren't enough…that accent! It was obviously public school, but it had been knocked around by actually mixing with "normal" people, it didn't sound false…it sounded amazing._

"_Aren't we supposed to all be having lunch together?"_

"_C'mon…I thought you CIA types liked to live on the edge." He had challenged._

"_And I thought you English gentlemen were sticklers for the rules."_

"_Weell yes as a rule…but who says that I'm a gentleman?" he had growled as he cupped his hand round mine to allow me to light the cigarette he had given me._

_He had been the perfect gentleman. We went for lunch at a small Italian place, sharing a ridiculously large plate of mushroom ravioli. And more laughs than I had had in years. That afternoon in the next round of meetings he had edged behind my chair placing his hands on my shoulders as if to steady himself. My body had almost bucked out of the chair as the most intense crackles of electricity had shot through my body._

"_Dinner…tonight…please…" he had breathed in my ear. It was the please that had done it. I had nodded dumbly and been surprised to see a genuine blush and look of relief flash across his face._

_Carlisle lived in a two floored pent house near Tower Bridge. The view of the Tower and London lit up at night was impressive, but the sight of the sun creeping over the Tower the next morning was truly breathtaking. We had talked all night, about work, about how our lives had led us into professions that were far removed from what people would have expected of us. I was a kid from a home that had been broken by a violent and abusive father, who had learnt the value of hard work and the joy of caring for people from my mom who was a nurse. It had taken her a few years, but she had finally stopped believing my father's taunts that she would never be able to cope without him, that she was hopeless, and found the strength to leave. We had enjoyed a tough, but happy life until illness had taken her…too soon._

_Carlisle had eventually admitted his "dark secret". He had wanted me to hear it from him rather than from a bitter gossip. There were still plenty who believed that Carlisle had got where he was because of "the old boys network" that was rife amongst the British aristocracy._

"_Is that all?…there I was thinking you were going to tell me you were really some kind of Bruce Wayne style superhero…" I had pouted with a laugh. If the people who I had worked with had been able to see me at that moment, they would never have believed it was the same "ball busting bitch" they saw every day at the office. I was laughing, really laughing and trying in my own clumsy way to flirt with this intrieging man. Who as I had suspected was far more comfortable in jeans than a suit. He was wearing blue jeans and an open necked black shirt that clung sinfully to the contours of his chest._

"_Superheroes? I didn't have you down as the superhero type." He said gently as he sat on the large, very comfortable couch pulling a long leg underneath him and stretching an arm along the back. I hadn't realized that I had shifted in my seat and was mirroring his pose until our fingers touched. The breath had caught in my throat at the feeling but also at the sight of Carlisle's eyes darkening with lust as he had looked at me._

"_I never had you down as a Lord…"I had stammered_

"_I'm not a Lord yet…I hope I never will be…"he had said sincerely_

"_Vive La Republique!" I teased._

"_Exactly…"_

"_So…the…"_

"_Right Honourable" he said rolling his eyes_

"_Right Honourable Carlisle Cullen…what does your entry in Debrett's say? Likes Hunting, polo and catching bad guys?" I laughed. The thought of what Carlisle's entry in the Who's Who of the aristocracy would say, how it would balance the two very separate lives he lead amused me. He had laughed softly as he gently tucked a lock of hair behind my ear._

"_Something like that…although I don't hunt…not for years…"_

"_So you truly are an honourable, honourable…" I had said, unable to drag my eyes away from his._

_His eyes had darkened further._

"_If I was an honourable man…I wouldn't do this…" he had breathed before softly pressing his lips to mine. His lips were soft, his lower lip which I had taken between my own and begun to suck gently fuller than the top. But it was the combined taste of the wine he had drunk, cigarettes and an almost honey sweetness which caused a soft moan to escape me as I shifted closer to him, slipping my arm round his neck. His hand cupped my cheek as our lips began to move together with more force, I tilted my head to deepen the kiss, giving him the access to my mouth he was asking for readily. It was Carlisle's turn to moan as our tounges met and playfully dueled with each other for dominance. It was a sound which sent a rush of need straight to my core which became even more intense as he began a pattern of stroking my tounge with his own before sucking gently._

"_Might not be the honourable thing to do…but damn it felt so right." I laughed softly._

_The meetings finally came to an end and we were allowed to do our jobs, getting out there hunting for the bad guys. Carlisle and I had not been able to see each other as much as we had liked, but when we did see each other, both of us getting an extra thrill from the need to sneak around, we had fun, talking, laughing getting to know each other…being a normal couple for a few hours instead of two overworked stressed people carrying the stress of safeguarding the safety of not only London, but the entire country on our shoulders._

_Physically, we wanted each other…badly, but the thing between us was becoming more than just a fling, we both wanted, needed more than gratifying, but heartless screwing, although our first time together wasn't exactly "love making"_

_I was put on temporary attachment to the SCI as they were observing a potential bomb making factory. I was worried that Carlisle might extend his gentlemanly tendencies to the work place, try and side line me, keep me out of harm's way. I needn't of worried, he had forced me to think faster, work harder than I had done in a long time and I loved it. The only problem was, this only added to our physical frustration causing us to bicker and challenge each other quite intensely. _

_Carlisle insisted that all members of the SCI took part in a monthly physical skills work out. Being in good physical shape and being able to defend ourselves could be the difference between life and death. _

_Jasper was the definition of a smiling assassin. But anyone who underestimated the power of his fluid, easy movements was in for a painful shock. I did however manage to bring him to his knees more than once._

"_Finally…you're good Mae, very damn good…" he said wincing as he cricked his back "But your mind is not on the job…" Jasper said as we stopped for a drink and a breather._

"_I…" _

"_You are letting your mind become clouded by the need to prove to our esteemed leader how good you are physically both professionally and…personally."_

_I remember that I had choked on my water._

"_I don't know what you mean." I had stammered._

"_Uh huh…listen at the moment all people are thinking is thank fuck he's picking on the Spook's mistakes and not mine…but the atmosphere between the two of you is so fucking charged with tension both sexual and otherwise…all it'll take is a little spark, a wrong comment and BAM, the office and half the MET will know your business. You can't keep it quiet forever, but lay…" he trailed off in a cough to hide his smirk at his own innuendo. " Release a little of the pressure…it'll buy you some more time…Carlisle is my friend, I have no real desire to know the in's and…the details of his sex life…" Jasper stammered with a blush._

"_but when it effects his work… your work risks not only his safety and that of the team…I will make it my business. So get up there and put his ass on the mat, what you chose to do with his ass after that is entirely up to you…" Jasper huffed with a small smile_

"_I didn't know the SCI had it's own psychic detective." I laughed._

"_No, that's my wife…our unofficial consultant, someone who if this goes the way she thinks…you'll be meeting sooner or later."_

_The team was gathered round the centre mat's catcalling, but all Carlisle and I could see was each other as we stalked around each other, Carlisle slicing the air occasionally with the knife Jasper had thrown in to make things interesting. Carlisle's expression was neutral, but his eyes had been flashing with challenge and need, his jaw tight with tension Jasper was right, we needed to do this. We were watching each other's every move, watching for the slightest sign that would give us the edge. I feinted left he followed, right the same._

"_Take him down Mae…you have to take him down…" I screamed to myself. As much as Carlisle was beginning to care for me and me him, I knew things would change if I didn't show him that we could be equals professionally as well as personally._

"_You haven't got what it takes Mae…here…" Carlisle taunted tapping the side of his head with his free hand, a smirk on his lips. That was his downfall, using the words that my father had used to taunt my mother and I . I let out a low snarl as I lunged at him, forcing him onto his back foot for a moment in shock he soon recovered however and made a lunge from my stomach to my chest with the knife. I could have taken him down the easy way, but the anger from the memories his words had unleashed had given my burst of adrenalin extra potency. I deflected his knife arm, sliding my hand down his forearm and grabbing his wrist jabbing my thumb into his wrist and my four fingers into the back of his hand bending his wrist inwards whilst applying some pressure to the muscles above. This move allowed me to move behind Carlisle who grunted in pain as I caused his arm to stiffen and his wrist to strain and painfully overflex it's muscles. I stepped forward pushing my foot ahead of his, managing to keep hold of his arm as we fell to the mat. Carlisle had realized that I wasn't playing and was fighting back against me strongly, but with the last of my strength, I flung my legs over his torso trapping his knife arm between them. _

"_Well I don't think anyone will be arguing if Mae wants the last chocolate biscuit at tea time." Jasper said with a laugh, shooting me a warm smile and a wink as he herded the others out._

_Carlisle had been a little quiet after that, he had dropped me at my place so I could shower and change for our trip to the movies, but he had barely been gone five minutes when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see Carlisle leaning against the door frame, his face tense. His eyes almost black, not with anger but lust, he let his eyes drag up and down my body in a scorching gaze which seemed to melt my bones with its intensity. The next thing I knew, he had stepped inside, slamming the door closed, before pulling me flush against him and roughly claiming my mouth with his own, his hands running through my hair._

"_I want…I need… know…can…you…take…me…down…again" he mumbled round the edge of our kiss. With a moan and a bite to his bottom lip, I pulled away slightly, but Carlisle could not pull himself away from me…he lowered his mouth to my neck, hot kisses combined with grazes of his teeth licks and sucks. My body had been on fire, my breathing ragged._

"_Carlisle…look…look at me baby…please…" I moaned as I pulled his face up to mine. He had been shaking with need which only caused me more almost painful spasms of pleasure._

"_Out there…street…I will…jesus…" I moaned as he rolled his hips and steel hard arousal against my aching hot core. All I had wanted was to be higher, nearer to the amazing friction he had created, but I had had to say this…"out there…I will take you…anyone...who tries to…hurt…you…hurt innocents…down…" I breathed in between kisses to his brow, eyes everywhere but those damn lips. "in here…I want…need…be yours…want…take me Carlisle…make me yours…" I moaned crashing my lips back against his. Carlisle had almost whimpered as he had slipped his hands beneath my ass lifting me, pulling me closer. I had wrapped my legs around him and buried my hands in his hair as he had walked us back to the couch. We had fallen over the arm with a laugh landing in a heap of arms and legs_

"_Okay?" he asked raising himself up_

_I hadn't trusted my voice so I had nodded and carried on trying to remove his shirt. He had laughed roughly, but caught my wrists for a moment._

"_What you said…are you sure?" he had asked. His face and eyes were tense with need and lust, but there was genuine concern and tenderness there as well. _

_But suddenly Carlisle's face and smile as I had assured him I was had been replaced by __**her**_ face.

_Carlisle's deep warm blue eyes had been replaced by her icy cold blue eyes, Carlisle's smile replaced by a sneer that had twisted her still pretty, doll like face into an ugly mask as she loomed over me._

"_I offered you less drastic options…but you wouldn't take them."_

"_Carlisle will never forgive you…" I had stammered through the pain._

_This had thrown her for a moment._

"_Yes…he really does love you…maybe in different circumstances…a different life you two could have…" she sighed, before shaking her head as if to clear it of such a foolish thought. "But, I can't…won't let you take Carlisle away from me."_

"MAE…MAE WAKE UP! You're dreaming…MAE!" Alice said firmly as gripped my flailing limbs and held me tightly. It took me a moment to focus on where I was.

"She…she…I… she…" I sobbed throwing myself into Alice's strong arms for the second time that night.

"She can't hurt you now Mae…she can't hurt you…" Alice repeated.

I pulled away from Alice for a moment.

"Hurt me? She's done better than that Allice…the bitch has ripped my heart out…"

"Well…maybe it's time she paid for her crime…" Alice growled.

**AN; So, a few more hints. Can't give it all away to soon can I? Please hit the button, but don't scream at me too loudly, can't type with fingers in **


	4. Chapter 4

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT. I own this storyline.**

**AN; There is quite a bit to this chapter including some more M rated FLASHBACK lemons, some more history, a death, some very dark images. All I'll say about those images is sometimes truth is stranger and far darker than fiction, this actually happened and was a big news story in the UK. There are hopefully some bits you'll find fluffy to balance it out. Oh and CXE do have "the talk". I just wanted to warn you about the dark and naughty bits as I know some readers like a little extra warning. I'll shut up now.**

**C POV**

"Carlisle…Carlisle darling…what are you doing…what are you doing down there?

"I'm going to taste you, Hopefully make you come Maybe persuade you to return the favour do you mind?" I asked matter of factly as I stilled on my journey down Laura's I think her name was toned but unresponsive and rigid body.

"Yes I mind! I don't know what time of women you have been with in the past, but I…I don't do things like that!" she shrieked shattering the alcohol induced lust haze I had been determined to lose myself in. She almost fell in her hurry to cover herself and get as far across the room from me as possible. Thankfully her horrified expression had killed the rather lack luster erection I had managed to achieve, so I was able to disappear into the bathroom to dress without her thinking I was anymore of a sexual deviant.

After issuing an apology through the lounge door which I think she had locked, I stumbled out into the exclusive and expensive London mews and headed towards the lights of the main road where I could catch a cab home. I took in a few deep breaths of the frosty night air in an attempt to try and clear my head, but all that did was cause the ridiculous amount of wine and brandy I had drunk to make a reappearance. I had stumbled on a few more paces when the reality of what I had just done hit me with the force of the slap I'm sure Laura would have given me if I hadn't left when I had.

"SHIT!...SHIT!...FUCK!..." I screeched as I began to kick at a nearby wheely bin which had been left out for collection the next morning.

"Do you mind?" came a shrill voice from behind me. I spun round to see a sour faced middle aged woman leaning from her bedroom window.

"At this particular moment in time madam…no…no I fucking don't." I slurred.

"Vincent…call the police…" she called over her shoulder.

"You do that Vincent…you tell them that Detective Chief Superintendant Carlisle Cullen is making a fucking cunt of himself because…she…she is back." I trailed off as I stumbled away.

What the hell was I doing? She'd been back ten days and she'd reduced me back to the drunken emotional mess that I had been in those hellish months and years after she left me. I didn't do one night stands, especially with someone from the little black book of "suitable girls" my mother liked. Women who loved the idea of being with Lord Carlisle Cullen, but had no bloody idea about Carlisle Cullen the man. A man who liked a good restaurant, a fine bottle of wine, classical music and polo, but who really enjoyed eating fish and chips on the way home from a night in the pub, playing five aside soccer, stretching out on the sofa on a Sunday afternoon to watch the soap operas and other trashy TV I had recorded, who loved to laugh, a man who liked to give and receive oral sex, a man who liked sex. He was the man that Mae, her love had drawn out of the stern, workaholic, proper professional shell he had been cowering behind.

The cab driver eyed me warily until I pulled out a fifty and told him to keep the change. Mae and I's relationship had been fast, intense, passionate but we were happy…we were in love…I know we were…she wouldn't have said yes if she wasn't happy…she wouldn't have worn my ring…she wouldn't…she loved me…I know she did…she told me…I believed…still believe…so why the fuck did she leave? The voice in my head demanded.

"I'll give you double the metre price if you take me here." I said passing a card through the window to the driver. Harris, Tweed and Kelly were stable and there had been no other sightings of Mitchell and Talbot…Julian's source had no new news. Jasper and Mae could cope for a couple of days. She had after all, gone out of her way to show me over the last few days how damn professional and focused on her work she was. Yes I was still being a coward and not raising the subject, not asking that one little question…why? but neither had she. I knew Mae…I knew she had loved me…I knew how much courage it had taken her to let me in… she knew how much it had taken me to let her in. She had to be hurting as much as I was…she had to, or was that me clutching at the fine straws that Alice had offered me over our lunch the other day?

"_Mae looks well…seems happy…her work at Langley's going well…she seems to be over her divorce." I had mused. It had been like a knife in my heart when I had cast an eye over the personnel file that had been created for her whilst she was with us and seen that she had been married. Not for long, but she had been married to a techno geek from Langley called Paul. What did he have that I didn't? What did he give her that I hadn't? We knew that we wouldn't have been able to stay working together after we had married, but it would have only been for a year until I took up a post with the FBI in the States. It would have been tough, but I knew we could make it, we both needed our work, the mental and physical challenge. It made us enjoy, work harder to make our time together count. She had been happy, excited about our new life…Mae was a good liar, so was I, we had to be in our line of work…but we couldn't, wouldn't lie to each other._

"_What is it you and Jasper always say? It's what people don't say that's more telling." I had tried to push her, get her to explain…give me some hope, some clue…but Alice for a woman who could talk the hind legs of a whole herd of donkey's when the mood took her, could also be frustratingly tight lipped. She and Mae had become fast friends within a couple of hours of meeting. When it had all gone wrong, as angry and hurt as I was, I could not take Alice's friendship from Mae by insisting that Alice chose sides. I couldn't do it to Mae, Alice or Jasper. But whilst I knew Alice and Jasper had kept in touch with Mae over the years, the same way I knew Emmett had, there was a part of me that appreciated, gloated a little at the fact that their loyalty, their love was mostly for me. Alice had then asked me what the statute of limitations was for murder._

I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew the taxi was pulling up outside Harrowview, the Cullen family's country seat. A sprawling fifteenth century, eighteen roomed manor set in acres of fertile farm land.

"So it's true then…Mae's back…"

"Ed..ward! This…this is my baby brother Edward…Captain…Edward Cullen of the Royal Army Medical Corp…he's…he's a hero…just back from doing a proper job…" I informed the taxi driver, who was anxious for his large fair and to begin the long trip back to London.

"How much have you had?" Edward demanded as he helped me inside.

"Not enough little brother…not nearly enough…"

"Okay…so maybe I had a little bit too much to drink last night." I whispered at Edward the next morning when I staggered into the kitchen. Edward chuckled as he handed me a bottle of water and some pain killers for my banging head.

"You know the cure."

"Hair of the dog!" I teased. "A greasy fry up." I said a little too hopefully.

"Maybe later…now, you and I are going to sweat some of that alcohol out of you."

"I thought medicine was a caring profession…" I grumbled.

Edward put me through a grueling circuit of cardio and resistance work, but as we jogged to the top of the hill that overlooked Harrowview, I was starting to feel a little better…physically at least.

"It's too bloody big, costs a fortune that we no longer have but are quite happy to accept from people who work their arses off at real jobs but I am glad to see the old place." Edward said a little wistfully.

"I'm pretty damn glad to see you too brat." I huffed with a laugh as I pulled him into a one armed hug, which he returned strongly for a moment.

"Bad?" It was a stupid question, but I had to ask.

"Hell…but it seems that you haven't been having an easy time of it yourself…" he said gazing at me intently in the way that always made me feel that he could read my mind.

"Race you." I said suddenly setting off down the steep hill.

"Don't hurt yourself now old man…" he teased, humouring me in my change of mood.

"'S okay, I know a bloody good doctor." I called back over my shoulder.

"_So this is Cullen Manor huh? " Mae had said the first time I had bought her down here. My mother and father had been away at some conference in Switzerland the weekend of the Harrowview charity fete which was held annually in the grounds. Lord Cullen always opened the event and acted as head judge for the various competitions, but seeing as he was unavailable and Edward although he was a qualified doctor about to deploy for his first tour of Iraq, was still classed by all in the village and the surrounding area as "young master Edward". I had had to "do my duty" as my mother put it._

"_So…how much do you know about cows?" I had asked Mae over dinner a couple of days before._

"_It's called Harrowview…after the village…" I said leaning against the hood of the car. _

"_It's beautiful." She said beaming as she came to stand between my legs and lean back against my chest wrapping my arms round her. She looked so beautiful as she excitedly took everything in._

"_It's all right." I had huffed. She turned her head and rolled her eyes but had kissed me anyway._

"_So…is it haunted?" she asked. I couldn't help but laugh. I had rested my chin on her shoulder_

"_Yes…but don't worry…the only thing that'll have you waking up screaming in the night…is me…" I had growled lowly in her ear. She had moaned softly and pressed herself a little harder back against me. It always amazed and turned me on to think that I caused that reaction in this beautiful, strong woman._

"_There you are! Hi…I'm Alice…you know my Jazzy…" Alice trilled as she exploded out the front door and skipped down the stairs towards us. Before I knew what was happening the freakishly strong little pixie had pulled Mae out of my arms and was dragging her into the house._

"_Jazzy?" I heard her say softly to Jasper with a laugh. He had just growled and blushed as he stomped down the stairs to help me with the luggage._

"_Sooo… Detective Chief Superintendant Cullen…I have reason to believe that if I were to stick you infront of a jury of twelve good and true men and women, charged with being a man head over heels in love…first offence or not…I think it's a pretty safe bet I'd get a guilty verdict." Jasper mused. I had rolled my eyes at his corniness._

"_Jazz, you really are working too hard."_

_He snorted. "Don't I know it! But you see I have this tyrant of a boss…" he joked. We ended up play fighting for a couple of minutes. As crazy and stressful as work had been then, all I can remember is feeling more energized, but also more relaxed, more able to face anything than I had done in…ever…_

"_So whatcha reckon I'll get then Mister Whitlock?" I had said to Jasper, deciding to play along with his police analogy. I began shifting nervously from foot to foot like the many of the criminals we saw regularly outside court._

_Jasper observed me for a few minutes and began tutting sadly, shaking his head. "Well with any other judge…you might have stood a chance…but Alice…it's a life sentence I'm afraid son…" he said patting my shoulder sympathetically. "No hope of parole…"_

_We both looked at each other and laughed._

"_Take me away…" I said holding out my hands as if ready for cuffs._

"_I know it's all been crazy fast and I'm terrified she doesn't feel the same…she's only here for a year…but I…I need her…"_

"_You just started serving your sentence my friend." Jasper said with a smile._

_When I could finally prize Mae away from Alice we headed up to my suite of rooms on the third floor. I was a little nervous about Mae seeing them, they had been modernized, Edward, Dad and I had insisted on dragging the whole house as far into the twenty first century as we could, but there was only so much we could do with a listed building which had by law to retain as many of its original features as possible. My rooms had a lot of dark wood paneling and heavy beams, but Mae seemed to love it. _

"_I've always wanted to sleep in a proper four poster." She said flinging herself back on the bed. I had leant against the heavy bed post for a moment watching her, until the rush of need she was causing me as she arched and stretched across the mattress became too much._

"_Well that's a shame…because I don't plan on you doing much sleeping I'm afraid love…" I had growled as I had crawled up the bed, fitting my body over hers._

"_Is that right?" she had purred as she slipped her arms round my neck._

"_That's right…"_

"_So what exactly did you have planned for me…your Lordship? A poor, humble girl from the colonies…"_

_I was uncomfortable with my title and all it implied, but there had been something about her teasing banter, the sight of her stretched out below me on that big bed looking like my very own fallen angel that had unleashed something in me. _

"_I plan to bury my face between your amazing legs, make you come hard and more than once so that I can lap up every drop of your amazing tasting juices…do you mind?" I asked in a totally innocent, bored tone. _

"_The incredibly sexy man I'm crazy about wants to do wonderfully naughty things to me…do I mind? Um…I'll need a minute to think about that." Mae had replied in an equally innocent tone, before grabbing me and crashing her lips to mine, only to break away a moment later._

"_Only if I can return the favour later." She growled._

_Not long later we were naked and Mae was writhing beneath me, one hand pulling at my hair, the other fisting the sheet as she tried to bring me down to her searingly hot and wet core._

"_Intoxicating…" I sighed as I let my nose nudge through her soft curls._

"_Car…isle…please…" Mae had pleaded. _

_Flattening my tounge I made a couple of passes which had Mae's hips bucking off the bed. Taking her swollen bundle of nerves in my mouth I let loose the growl which had been brewing in my chest in response to her amazing taste whilst sucking gently_

"_OH GOD!" she had moaned, her hands pulling more frantically at my hair. I had vented my own pleasure, pain at that move by grazing her bundle with my teeth before soothing with my tounge. I had happily continued my ministrations, only stopping to demonstrate with my tounge, what another almost painfully aroused part of me would like to do to her later. _

"_Carlisle! Oh…I'm…I'm…CARLISLE!" I did what I said I would and didn't move until I had swallowed all she gave me and bought her down from the smaller high she had reached whilst I was doing so._

"_For a posh boy…you know how to do some damn naughty, bad boy things with your tounge." Mae had sighed when I was laying beside her on my side, our legs entwined._

"_Well my love, despite appearances to the contrary, some posh girls, especially the older ones can be very naughty…and demanding…you learn pretty fast"_

"_Demanding huh? Well brace yourself your Lordship…cause this ordinary girl is gonna show you what demanding really is…" Mae had purred as she straddled me._

I let a deep moan out into my hands which were covering my face as I sat on the edge of the couch in the music room. It had been seven years, but my body could still remember, react to the feel memory or otherwise of hers.

"So…apart from attempting to drown yourself in alcohol last night, what else did you do?" Edward asked as he flung himself across the other couch. I explained about Laura and even the woman in the window I had shouted at.

"Well Mae always did bring out all the emotions and feelings that you usually hid behind your stiff upper lip and perfect manners." Edward mused.

"So says the very personification of good public school manners and charm." I snapped.

"Difference is Carlisle…I hadn't spent years channeling all my other emotions into my career or being the perfect Lord in waiting and mother's favourite. I'm no man whore…I'm not…" he huffed throwing a cushion at me "But I have let myself feel…let myself love…been hurt…you saw what Tanya did to me…what we had was no where near what you and Mae had…you two were amazing together, you gave each other what the other lacked…it really was love…but if you'd have let yourself go..let yourself feel…love and all the tough stuff that goes with it…like communication before Mae, although you would still be crushed…what she did was…cruel…you would have some more perspective…you would have been able to deal with it before it wrecked the next seven years."

"I was with Angie for almost a year and a half." I argued. He was right, but I didn't need my little brother telling me that I was an emotionally retarded coward!

"I think it's safe to say those last few months didn't count…Angie was lovely…but every time you looked at her, you saw Mae. Just like with this Laura…you wanted the sex you had with Mae."

"Fuck Edward! It's crazy..." I leapt from my seat pulling at my hair. "I'm crazy, but even now…after everything…I want her…not just sexually…I want _her_, she fucking destroyed me… Then went back to the States and married someone else…but I want her back…" I sobbed thumping one of the drums in the large kit on one side of the long room.

"Well the only thing you'll want if you damage Emmett's drums is an undertaker…"

I huffed a tearful laugh as I sank down onto the stool behind the drum kit and scrubbed at my face with my hand.

"Do you remember the first time Mae came down here…when we played…you, me Jazz and Emmett…?"

Jazz and I had learnt to play both acoustic and electric guitar at school, we had carried on practicing as adults and when he was old enough and had proved his not inconsiderable talent on the piano and keyboards, Edward had joined in with us. He was followed by Emmett who had amazed everyone at a COP IDOL talent show with a blistering turn on the drums. I hadn't played for a while, but there were a lot of things that I hadn't done that being with Mae gave me the courage to do again. There was also the small matter of me wanting to impress her, which being able to play the guitar solo from The Who's Pinball Wizard complete with windmill arm seemed to do. Mae however, had not needed to do anything as loud or dramatic to impress me even more than she already did and confirm Jazz's thoughts that I was madly in love with her.

"_Carlisle Louis James Henry Richard Cullen, do not make me embarrass you infront of your Mae and drag you out to that garden." Sue, Harrowview's Housekeeper and former nanny to Edward and I, who was still a much loved friend and confidante had snapped at me the next morning over breakfast._

"_I think you may have already done that." I had growled as Mae had spluttered into her orange juice._

"_Mother had a thing for Royal names…Carlisle got the Kings…I got the Princes…Edward Andrew Philiph Charles…" Edward had explained. We were in the large farmhouse style kitchen that my father Edward and I loved, but which I don't think my mother had even seen._

"_Could have been worse Edward…she could have added Prince Albert in there." Alice said with a devilish glint in her eye._

"_No…I did that by myself." Edward replied with a smirk._

_Alice and Mae exploded in laughter whilst Emmett Jasper and I looked at Edward in shocked horror. Sue came back into the room from the small herb garden at that moment_

"_Yeah Carlisle…you have to go and greet your subjects…"Emmett said quickly._

"_They are not my subjects!" I had almost shrieked. "God I can't wait until the Government scraps hereditary peerages…and you're only sucking up to Sue so that she'll tell you where she hides her cake tins." I growled at Emmett. _

"_Am not!" Emmett pouted glaring at me dangerously. _

"_Did I teach you no manners? Talking to guests like that…really…" Sue huffed clipping me round the back of the head as she passed my chair. This had caused everyone at the table to snigger quietly and Emmett to stick his tounge out at me with an evil smirk._

"_Aww…my poor baby…" Mae crooned with a sarcastic smirk as she reached up and stroked my head._

"_I don't even know what I'm doing! What do I know about cows and cakes and jam?" I exploded_

"_As far as judging the cows are concerned just do what your father does and listen to Charlie Glover…for the rest, well you'll have to agree with Mrs Roper and Mrs Ackroyd…they pulled out of the actual competition this year to give someone else a chance…but they are judging…"_

"_They are two of the nosiest, mean spirited old biddies I have ever met…" I raged_

"_Well at least you don't have to worry about introducing Mae to people…it's already all around the village…" Edward had sighed. _

"_How? We've only been here twenty four hours!" Mae had squeaked._

"_Honey…this is the country…the jungle drums beat even faster and louder out here. I remember the excitement when they found out that Carlisle was bringing an American boy home from school with him for the summer." Jazz laughed._

"_Well that time it was my fault it got out. I was excited that Carlisle was bringing home a real life Texas Cowboy!" Edward said blushing._

"_And didn't Jasper enjoy playing up to them all. Riding down the village high street wearing a Stetson singing I Was Born Under A Wandering Star." Sue had scolded but with a smile twitching on her lips._

"_You didn't!" Alice squeaked in disbelief._

"_Yup." Jasper replied popping the p and thickening his accent. "Although I remember your mother wasn't pleased." Jasper had said with a frown._

"_No, but Dad loved it…"_

_Two hours before the fete was due to kick off, Sue came to find me in a panic, the face painters couldn't make it and apparently you couldn't have a fete without face painters for the children. Mae had been coming down the stairs at the time with Alice, both of them wearing wellington boots with their initials picked out in diamante on the side. Alice had insisted that if she was being forced to look at farm animals she would do it in style._

"_I could do it…with a little help from Alice…I've done it before…I worked the pier a couple of summers…"_

_Sue had been right, the face painting stall had been swamped the minute it opened. Mae had taken it in her stride, laughing and joking with the children and their parents, but it was the sight of Mae picking up and comforting a little girl who had been separated from her older brother that had caused my heart to misbehave in my chest. My mind had filled with images of brown haired, hazel eyed children sitting on her lap being comforted, made to laugh…loved by her._

_I had been banking on Mae to keep me sane during the whole day, whilst also spending some time together, but I hardly saw her. Edward was doing a first aid display and reviewing the army cadets, Jasper had been roped in to help out with the pony rides, Alice was helping Mae and Emmett in a sight which would stay with me always, had stepped in for one of the Irish Dancing Display who had twisted his ankle. Seeing a man of Emmett's size gliding across the stage with moves that would put Michael Flately to shame was truly a sight to behold. Emmett's father was Scottish, but his mother was Irish._

"_All the best looking girls did Irish Dancing." He had explained in a quick break._

_The dreaded cow show was won by a honey coloured Jersey Cow with beautiful brown eyes called…Esme. I had had to share that with her and had headed towards her stall, only to see her flanked by Mrs Ackroyd and Mrs Roper._

"_I'm so glad I finally got a chance to meet you ladies…Carlisle was telling me that whilst certain others in the village might engage in mindless and spiteful gossip, you two would be the ones that would show me what a kind, friendly and supportive community Harrow View can be…you being two of the most respected women in the community and all."_

_Still a little stunned, I had backed her up by appearing at her side and fawning over the two spiteful old biddies._

"_That was shameless but brilliant…god I love you." I had said with a laugh. I think we had both stopped breathing._

"_Oh sh…" I had paused as I saw the curious faces of the children in Alice's que which wasn't far from where we were standing. "I didn't mean for it to come out like that…I know it's probably too soon…you don't have to say anything…"_

"_Because anything I do say may be taken down and used against me in a court of law?…well your honour…it's true…I did it…I fell in love with an English Lord…and I'd do it again…" Esme said softly. And instead of a kiss, Mae and I confirmed our love with something else we did so well…a laugh. Alice had been listening to our conversation and had got so excited when she heard what we had said, she had almost stuck the face painting stick she was using up a child's nose, a child who quite understandably screamed rather loudly._

**JASPER POV**

Carlisle had been right when he had told me in his short phone call informing me that he was taking a few days out, that there was nothing that Mae and I couldn't handle. We were doing what you never see on the TV shows, knocking on doors, checking and double checking facts, talking to people that probably didn't know anything, talking to dangerous people who if they did know anything would enjoy tormenting you before they told you or not…depending on their mood and how we handled them. Mae was working her way methodically and thoroughly through both sets of people, I couldn't fault her work, her attitude…but there was no spark. None of the left field thinking that made her so good at her job, that got results. Damn it, there was none of the spark that made Mae the feisty, fierce friend that I loved, that I owed my life too. She had done a cruel, heartless thing to my best friend, for reasons that I knew my wife knew but could not tell me. I should hate her for causing the people I loved most so much pain, but as I watched her at work, at home and saw what was little more than the shell of my friend, all I wanted to do was hug her…shake her…remind her of what she had…what they had…what they achieved…together.

"_Man I know it's early…but a shower…a little deodorant…five minutes max…" I had grumbled to the Detective Sergeant that I was slammed up against in the back of an unmarked van, which was transporting our strike team through the pre dawn London streets._

_The bomb making factory we had been watching had become a hive of activity over the last week. But in the last few days the factory and the homes of the people we had been watching had gone quiet…too damn quiet. The Spooks who would ultimately take all the credit for how this op went, decided almost seventy two hours after Carlisle had suggested it, that it was time for us to pay them a visit._

"_You're smelling particularly sweet this morning M'am…you must spend longer than five minutes in the shower. But I guess it must be a lot easier to get clean…really scrub those hard to reach places…with an extra…few inches in your hands…" the sergeant had said innocently to Mae who was sitting opposite, the malice however was clear in his eyes. The truth about Carlisle and Mae's relationship had come out as we all knew it would, the suits in charge hadn't been thrilled but after this raid, Mae would be moving to a different post in London. The reaction from the team had been the usual interest that accompanied a piece of office gossip, especially one about Carlisle, but interest had soon began to fade into indifference as the team saw that far from affecting how Carlisle and Mae worked, it pushed them harder, made them better. There was however always one who had to push things. Before I had had chance to say anything Mae had shot back in just as innocent tone_

"_My loofah you mean? Your right, those extra inches do come in handy…it's amazing where and how far you can shove it." Her eyes were dangerously cold and the sergeant got the message. We all knew that Mae could handle herself._

"_Okay?" I hissed as we gathered at our rendezvous point._

"_Fine…it could have been worse…and he's fired me up even more to catch some bad guys…" she said tightly._

_I had chuckled darkly. Pissed off Mae was not a pretty sight, for bad guys at least._

"_Alice would so have this tailored…" Mae chucked quietly as she adjusted her Kevlar vest._

"_Maybe add a couple of pockets…" I replied._

_The factory was located on a thankfully small industrial estate full of warehouses and storage garages. We had thanks to Emmett's bravery managed to insert some electronic eyes and ears into the factory. Seeing Emmett in full protective gear moving through the darkness towards me as I had waited for him on the roof of the factory had been truly frightening._

_The men we were after had linked monitors into the main CCTV feed, but Emmett had overrode their feed to play a loop of tape showing a clear area that was long enough for us to execute the surprise double entrance we had planned. We knew that whoever was running them wasn't taking chances and the place had quite an armoury of weapons that further surveillance had shown us that were trained and eager to use. What we didn't know for definite however was whether they were using any of the explosives they were making as an extra line of defense. Alice could be emotional, hyperactive and demanding, like all policemen's wives, there were times when she hated my job and she wasn't afraid to tell me. But when it came to it, my Alice was understanding, loving, supportive…she was my rock, my strength, helping me overcome the feelings that had blighted me my whole life, that I wasn't good enough, that I didn't deserve love, from my parents who had pretty much dumped me in boarding school and had had only sporadic contact since, from anyone. _

"_Big?" she had asked simply when I had received the phone call at home. I nodded. Cuddling up to me she had, as I needed, chatted away about her work, our plans for the weekend…our life, only quieting when I had moved on top of her, claiming her mouth with mine. It was the only way I could express the love I had for her, the life she had so lovingly and stylishly created for us._

"_No John Wayne heroics cowboy…I need you…" she had said softly running her hands over my face, through my hair._

_Having checked our weapons, Mae and I dropped into a low crouch and began the sprint round the back of the building, our small team fanning out to their positions around us._

"_Team Two?" Carlisle's voice echoed in my earpiece._

"_In position." I replied._

"_Standby." _

_Mae moved to the opposite side of the door gun raised, ready to go. The wait was only about thirty seconds, but it felt like forever._

"_GO! GO! GO!" Carlisle barked._

_The next few minutes were a blur of activity and noise. But it was in vain. We were too late…they and their bombs were gone_

_The Spooks from the security services had realized that Carlisle had been right and that we should have moved earlier on the factory. They wouldn't admit they were wrong, but they had offered us whatever help we needed in trying to locate and stop the five bomb makers we had identified and their deadly packages. Luckily, two diehards for the cause weren't quite ready to die and we caught them quite easily. We had found out from them that the targets were shopping centres. Each bomber only knew their own target. One bomb did detonate, but thanks to some sloppy work, did little more than send a rubbish bin through the window of a shoe store. We had managed to get out of our first two suspects that the plan was to detonate at two hour intervals_

_We had been glad that the British Public had adopted the "don't let the bastards get you down" attitude, but their determination to keep calm and carry on did not make our job any easier. Me and I were staking out one of the shopping centre's on the list._

"_Talk about the ultimate needle in a haystack." Mae had growled as we alternated between checking the CCTV and actually walking the stores._

"_Well thankfully…I've always been known for my magnetic personality." I had said tapping the screen. It was our fourth man._

_The mall was busy and we couldn't evacuate without panicking the public and the bomber. I had had to break my promise to Alice. Mae and I had to evaluate the situation and either pick him up or take him out. Him pulling out a gun and opening fire made our decision for us. Our only problem was, to take him out we have to use a specialized head shot as any spark could detonate the bomb and an ordinary head shot could still allow his dying brain stem to send enough life to his hand on the trigger._

_I wasn't a major adrenaline junkie, but there was something about the special buzz I got hunting down a criminal that I did find addictive. Working together Mae and I chased him away from the main building and up to the carpark. I had him cornered Mae was running full out to try and get round behind him. We shouted several warnings, gave him the chance to surrender. He wouldn't. I would have to kill him. I knew that sometimes killing people was part of my job, but I still hated it. I raised my gun…click…it had jammed. I could still feel the painful clench of my heart and cold sweat as I looked at my useless weapon then at his fully operational one. It's true what they say, your life does flash before your eyes, I saw Alice's face in crystal clarity. I remembered I had whispered a quiet I love you and forgive me as I waited for the end…which didn't come._

_There were three shots. But it was him, not me who crumpled face forward to the concrete._

"_Sorry about cutting it so fine…what happened did it jam?" she asked._

_I had nodded dumbly. "Thanks." I whispered._

_She waved it away, I gripped her arm. "I mean it." I said fiercely pulling her into a hug which she returned. "I'd rather face a dozen crazed bombers than Alice if I'd let anything happen to you." She laughed._

The persistent shrill ring of the phone on my desk dragged me back to our current problem.

"Inspector Whitlock….when?...thanks for telling me…yes don't worry about that…I'll tell him." I sighed. "What are best friends for." I whispered as I hung up.

**ESME POV**

Life is short.

But taking it away from an innocent little girl after only three years is just fucking cruel. Kelly, the poor little girl who had been hit by the car driven by Mitchell and Talbot had died suddenly from complications to her injuries. Jasper had just come home and told us, after having to call and tell Carlisle.

I felt like the biggest bitch, but as I lay on my bed, a pillow clutched tightly to my chest, there was a part of me thinking bitterly that my child…our child, a child that wasn't planned, but who I knew would have still been so loved, never even got that long. I loved my career, thrived on it, but being with Carlisle enjoying a normal life with a good, kind, loving man, who understood, supported and encouraged me, gave me hope for the future…had shown me that it wasn't everything anymore. We had made our plans, but I knew that Carlisle, I knew she was wrong…I knew he would want our baby…me.

Neither my bosses or Carlisle's had been thrilled by us being together, but we got results and after the operation with the bomb making factory was over, I would have been moved somewhere else. What we had was quickly developing into one of those intense romances that you only ever read about, but we were both so sure it would last. We both wanted it to last.

_At work, unless you knew better, you would think that Carlisle and I really did not like each other much. We worked well together, seemed to compliment each other, but we weren't afraid to challenge each other. We had been in a difficult and heated meeting with the Security Services, they were saying that we should simply keep watching the bomb making factory, whilst Carlisle was arguing rightly that it had gone too quiet, we had to move. I was being torn by my loyalty to my CIA bosses and my loyalty to Carlisle and my new team, something that Marcus was quick to pick up on and ride me over. I had ended up taking my frustrations out on_ _Carlisle. After work I had stormed from the office back to my place where I had changed and taken a long run to cool off. I did go back to my apartment from time to time, but Carlisle and I were practically living together. When I thought about things later_

_Coming back to Carlisle's apartment I had heard the shower running. My run had helped, but I was in desperate need of some more hands on stress relief._

"_Mind if I join you." I had purred opening the shower door._

"_As tempting as the offer is my dear, I really don't think Carlisle would understand."_

_It wasn't Carlisle in the shower. It was his father Aro. Lord Cullen._

_Half an hour later, I finally came out of the guest room where I had locked myself and been thankful to find some of my clothes, to find a dressed Aro in the lounge._

"_I think we both could do with one." He had said handing me a large drink. Carlisle had obviously inherited his mother's coloring, as Aro's hair, although graying, was more coppery like Edward's and his eyes were green. One thing Carlisle had inherited from his father however was his very cute blush when he was embarrassed. Not that I could talk, I could still feel my skin burning._

"_Where…where is Carlisle?" I had stammered_

"_Gone to pick up the Chinese Take Away we ordered, there's been an accident nearby and it would have been an hour wait. I did call him and tell him to pick up extra…you will be staying…"_

"_If…if you don't mind…I mean if you and Carlisle…"_

"_I think both Carlisle and I would be grateful for a little more time before we begin our discussion…please sit down Mae…it is Mae…" he said. I perched on the edge of the chair furthest from the sofa he was sitting on. Aro was still embarrassed, but he was slowly relaxing into what I was to learn was his natural easy manner. Carlisle could be casual and relaxed like that, but he didn't find it as easy as his father or Edward._

"_Yes…sir…your Lordsh…what do I call you?"_

"_Well seeing as we now know each other so intimately, I think you can call me Aro." He had laughed gently. I had blushed again. I was a professional, confident woman, but at that moment I felt like a teenager._

"_I'm really sorry about that. I don't do that…I mean we do shower but…oh…" I had cried as I added another few feet to the hole I was in._

"_Mae my dear. What you and my son get up to in private is entirely your business. Although I must admit I do envy him finding a woman who equals and I'm sure on occasion betters him at work, handles with such style and charm his other duties, whilst all the while indulging his passionate nature." There had a bitterness tone that I wouldn't understand and empathize with till later._

"_The fair…it was fun…I…"_

"_Charmed everyone including Mrs Roper and Mrs Ackroyd, something I am still trying to do. Thankyou Mae…"_

"_It was nothing."_

"_I don't just mean for the fair. Thankyou for making Carlisle so happy. I've been worried for so long that if he didn't become a total slave to his career, he would settle with one of the very nice, but dull as dishwater women his mother found for him. He needs a woman like you Mae, he needs to be challenged, he needs passion, to know that he's not wrong for wanting those things…"_

_I had been a little surprised but flattered by what Aro had said. I had had to wait for one of my many meetings with Aro over the next few months to explain to him what Carlisle gave me in return as Carlisle had returned at that moment._

_Aro's comment that Carlisle would want to put off their conversation had been true. Carlisle had almost begged me to stay when I had offered to go home again._

_I had wondered about the conversation that Aro was convinced Carlisle would put off, but it wasn't until my first meeting with Lady Jane Cullen that I got my first clue as to what it's about._

_Tea at the Ritz. _

_Old fashioned, traditional, totally her._

_Lady Jane was in her early sixties but still had a trim figure that she liked to cover the matronly twin set, pearls and tweed that a lot of people imagined aristocratic women of her age to wear. Carlisle joked that she modeled herself on the Queen, the more I watched her, the more I had realized that he wasn't that far from the truth. But where the Queen's pretty and aristocratic face broke easily into a smile, when Lady Jane smiled, it never reached her icy cold blue eyes and looked as if it would shatter her china doll like face._

_Jane adored Carlisle any mention of Edward and his achievements was barely acknowledged and waived aside, making me feel angry on Edward's behalf. Carlisle was obviously and genuinely uneasy with his mother's attention, he loved her and over our few meetings , I had seen them genuinely laugh and enjoy each other's company, but there was just something that wasn't right._

_Jane however knew exactly what was wrong with me._

"_British men, especially aristocratic British men have always been fascinated by American women." She had almost spat the word American from her mouth. "I suppose it must be something to do with their confidence and charm." Was how she had summed me up infront of Carlisle._

_In private, I could practically see the venom dripping from Jane's mouth as she verbally attacked my appearance, intelligence, morals, my past sexual relationships. I could understand that she was Carlisle's mother and she was worried about how serious our relationship was becoming so fast, but what she was subjecting me too was nothing short of evil. Whilst my father had been physically abusive to my mother and I, it was the mental abuse that had affected me the most, made me doubt myself, my self worth. Being accepted by the CIA and becoming respected at my work had helped with this and despite my attempts to employ the techniques I had learnt to with stand torture, Jane's word had left me very vulnerable. Something that Jane quickly realized and started to exploit. She loved to call me Mrs Simpson after Wallace Simpson, the woman that King Edward had abdicated his thrown for_

_Carlisle told me not long after that Aro was having an affair with an American woman. I felt sorry for her, but that didn't stop me wanting to rip both the evil old bitches two faces off as she continued with her sly digs and comments over the next months. Carlisle had even walked in after I had finally tried to defend myself from her verbal battering. Unfortunately he had not heard the venom which had spewed from her he had only heard me with my voice raised looming over her. If I hadn't been so angry, I would have been impressed at the Oscar winning performance and torrent of tears that she turned on the second she saw Carlisle. _

"_I know she's difficult…but she's hurt. She and my father should never have married…they were, are too different, but that was the way things where then…they were a good match on paper at least."_

"_Well as far as she's concerned, I should be bowing and tugging at my forelock." I had huffed._

"_I'd much rather you tugged at something else." He had said with a wicked grin. Managing to distract me if only for a short while._

_Whilst Carlisle understood his father's behavior he was still his mother's son and being a good man and damn better son than Jane deserved, he hated seeing her so upset. He was being pulled in two, I decided not to add to the burden and simply smiled sweetly until I was able to kick the crap out of something. We didn't see her that often and I had Aro on side. He had been furious when he had found me in floods of tears after one meeting with Jane. He had offered to talk to Jane, but we both realized that Jane was quite capable of twisting things and placing even more pressure on Carlisle. Pressure that he didn't need._

_Jasper and I had found and stopped the fourth bomb, but there still had been a fifth. We had returned to the station to find that MI5 had found the fifth bomber on the Euro Star…without his bomb. We would find out later that whoever was running the bombers, financing and protecting them, had had plans for the fifth bomber. He wasn't to let himself up with his bomb he was to report for further training in recruiting and running a cell of his own. It was standard procedure, but we had made sure that Number 5 as we called him, didn't know that the other bombs had not done their jobs. We had caught the fourth bomber forty minutes before he was set to prime the bomb as he hadn't yet picked his location. This gave us just over two hours to find out where the fifth bomber had left his bomb_

"_FUCK! All he's doing is laughing at us…literally!" Carlisle had raged as he stormed out of the interview room. I had found him outside almost inhaling a cigarette as he slumped against a wall. Between the fruitless meetings with the Security services, the raid and interviewing prisoners he had been on the go for longer than was healthy._

"_Are you okay?" he asked as he saw me approach._

"_I was going to ask you that."_

"_Jasper told me what happened…"_

"_These things can happen you know that…"_

"_I know…but the thought of them happening to Jazz…you…" he said_

"_Don't go soft on me now Cullen." I had growled "Especially since I'm having to fight the urge to come over there and hug the life out of you." I said softly. Carlisle's eyes had softened with love at my words._

"_My father always told me it wasn't healthy…fighting urges…and he is a doctor…" Carlisle had said pulling me into his arms. I had let out a noisy breath as I let myself sag against him, burying my face in his chest. _

"_I love you so much Carlisle…so damn much…" I sighed biting back the tears that threatened as my adrenaline rush began to ebb and the memories of the morning came back. If I had been a second later…_

"_As I do you…my wonderful…brave girl…Mae…" Carlisle had whispered, emotional, tired tears pooling in the corners of his eyes._

"_Ssh…I know my love…I know…" I had whispered, letting my fingers stroke his tired but beautiful face before claiming his mouth with mine softly but passionately. We stood for a moment, foreheads pressed together, drawing comfort and strength from each others touch._

"_Mae…what time is it?" he asked suddenly._

_The SCI's interview room were bare apart from a table, two chairs and a clock, so Number 5 didn't realize that he had been bought back into the one he had been in previously. Carlisle had just settled him down when I came in grim faced handing Carlisle a note._

"_When?" Carlisle asked tightly._

"_Ten minutes…this little surprise worked okay…eighty five dead…hundred and fifty plus injured." I hissed shooting Number 5 a death glare. He was squinting at the clock on the wall before he suddenly grabbed Carlisle's wrist where he wore his watch and yanked it across the table towards him. After another look between the clock on the wall and Carlisle's watch, Number 5 threw his head back and laughed a long, cold evil laugh._

"_You win…congratulations…I'm officially impressed…" Carlisle said icily. _

"_Just out of curiosity which one was yours?"_

"_Mega Mall... in Westmoreland" Number 5 had sneered._

"_JASPER, THE MEGA MALL WESTMORELAND!" I screamed through the open door._

"_What the fuck! You said…you…" Number 5 screamed at Carlisle and I._

"_We lied." I sniggered as Carlisle and I raced from the room._

_Westmoreland was a small suburb of London where a new Mega Mall had opened in a bid to help the economy and create jobs._

"_You almost had me believing you." Carlisle said as we peeled out of the car park, we had fifty minutes._

"_I'm a good liar when I have to be." I had said. And I knew that as far as his mothers behavior Carlisle would never find out how much she hurt me from me…not yet. It was a decision I would regret._

"_Really?" he had asked a playful, lascivious grin on his face._

_I laughed. "Carlisle…didn't you hear me…I said I was a good liar when I have to be…" I had purred hoping that the look in my eye and my quick squeeze of his thigh told him all he needed to know._

"_What do you mean they're not there? What fucking burst water main? There is a bomb set to go off in twenty five minutes…" Carlisle raged down the phone. The bomb squad had been held up by a burst water main which had caused traffic chaos for miles, even with their sirens and clearing the traffic, there was a very real possibility that they wouldn't make it._

_The Mega Mall was seven storey's high, even if they managed to evacuate the building of people and just let the bomb explode. The blast damage to the area would be catastrophic. _

"_How far's the Thames or some other deep water?" I asked Carlisle._

"_Mae…what? NO!"_

"_What's the alternative?"_

_Whilst Carlisle had dealt with the police in the building and alerted them and Jasper to what we were doing, I had grabbed the rucksack and ran back to the car, before I could start the car Carlisle was pulling me out._

"_Together or not at all." He growled. "_

_I changed seats, calling out the route to the nearest canal that Jasper had sent me. We didn't speak , there was too much to say and not enough time to say it in. Carlisle caught my eye in the mirror, his eyes were serious, focused…but I could see such intense love there I couldn't help the almost whimpered_

"_Always and Forever." Which slipped out of me._

_Sadly five ducks and a pair of swans lost their lives thanks to that fifth bomb. Emmett always joked that we had saved London with a minute to spare, it had actually, thanks to Carlisle's driving been three minutes_

"_You and I…we can do anything…together…" Carlisle had said with a chuckle, which froze as he saw the bodies of the swans_

"_At least they died together." Carlisle said sadly as he found a blanket in the car and covered them with it._

"_They mate for life you know…least they got to spend their last minutes together." Carlisle said pulling me into his arms and burying his face in my hair. We had both been exhausted, physically and emotionally._

"_What would you do? Last few minutes on earth…what would you do?" I mumbled into his chest, not wanting to leave the comforting safety of his arms and not wanting to stop listening to the now steady rhythm of his heart. He had made it…we had made it together._

"_Well if making love to you wasn't possible…I would have had to do the only other thing I could do to tell you…show you how much I love you, how much you, your love means…Marry me Mae?"_

_Having longer than three minutes to live however meant that Carlisle could make slow, sweet and heartbreakingly tender love to me more than once that night and over the following days. He could also ask me to marry him more than once, which he was forced to do as I had not answered him the first two times as I thought it was an emotional reaction to what we had been through._

_I loved Carlisle with all my heart, but there were so many things, not least his mother's hatred of me to consider. But third time proved the charm. We were at Carlisle's place curled up on the couch on the balcony under a blanket enjoying the view of a moonlit River Thames and Tower of London, when he slipped from his seat and fell to one knee._

"_Mae…I don't know what else I have to say…what I have to do to persuade you that I mean this…you…I love you…"_

"_I know…I know my darling and I love you more than I ever thought myself capable of loving anyone…" I said fiercely taking his face in my hands. "You make me feel…so many things good and bad, but most of all…you make me feel safe. I know that no matter how crazy, how dangerous my life becomes…if I have you…I have everything I would ever need…it's just…there's so much to think about you are a Lord for god's sake…you have responsibilities…"_

"_The only responsibilities I want are the ones that come with being your husband." He said, tears pooling in the corners of his eyes. _

"_Your mother will not be happy…" I said sarcastically "She already calls me Mrs Simpson." The old crow took great delight in calling me after the American woman who had caused the abdication of King Edward Viii in the 1930's._

_You look like nothing like Mrs Simpson, Marge or Wallis…I studied all the abdication stuff at school, even had to read the Kings speech for a school assembly…one part, the part I will quote ad nauseum to my mother , has stuck in my head for years…__**you must understand me when I tell you that I will find it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and discharge my duties as Lord…paraphrasing here…without the love, help and support of the woman**__**I love and adore."**_

_I was then and still am now overcome with love at the intensity and passion of his words. But it was the breathtakingly beautiful smile that had covered his face when he realized that I was actually saying yes that bought tears to my eyes._

"Come in?" Alice called. I pushed open her and Jasper's bedroom door hovering nervously just inside.

"Mae…you okay? No, you're not? What is it? Alice demanded moving to get out of bed as she saw my puffy and tear stained face that no amount of cold water could hide.

"Stay there Alice please…I was just wondering…Jasper said Carlisle was coming back to town tonight from Harr…the country…is he still at the same address?"

"Yes he is…and he called about ten minutes ago to let me know he was back…why?" Jasper asked warily coming out of the bathroom in sleep pants and a t-shirt.

"Poor little Kelly has made me do some thinking…how short life is…we've wasted so much time…I need to talk to him…explain…"

"Mae…are you sure?" Alice said skipping over to me and rubbing my arm and back in that specially comforting way that only Alice seemed to have.

"No…but he can't hate me anymore than he does already." I said with more conviction than I felt.

**No one knows what it's like**

**To be the bad man**

**To be the sad man**

**Behind Blue Eyes**

Carlisle had begun my classical music education with The Who, whom he loved. I had always found the song that was booming through the door to his apartment strangely fitting. I rang the doorbell again. I still had my key on my chain but I couldn't, wouldn't use it.

Finally it cracked open.

"Can I come in?"

He turned on his heel, leaving the door open.

We each stood the sofa between us and seven years of pain between us. The only light in the room coming from the lamp in the corner we had bought together. It illuminated his pale, tired, tense and pained face. The sight of him wearing dark jeans and black, opened necked shirt, the outfit he had worn the first time I had come here, the night our love had begun with a night of conversation and that wonderful kiss caused my heart to spasm painfully in my chest.

**No one bites back as hard **

**On their anger**

**None of my pain and woe **

**Can show through**

The room was suddenly, deafeningly silent.

"I'm sorry…about the little girl…" I stammered. Carlisle nodded his head slightly in acknowledgment "Can I…can I sit?"

"No point if that's all you came to say." He replied icily

"It's not…I…Carlisle please…I want to try…try to explain…we can't waste anymore time."

"I never thought our time together was a waste." He snarled.

"Neither did I! I have never been as happy as I was with you." I cried.

"Then why Mae? WHY did you leave me the night before our wedding?" Carlisle demanded, his voice cracking with emotion.

"I was…I WAS SCARED." I yelled gripping the sofa so tightly I felt the material tear beneath my fingers.

"Of what? I thought you were happy, that you wanted our life…I thought you wanted me." He cried.

"I did, I do…Carlisle I love you…I have never stopped loving you…" I said rounding the sofa. Carlisle was stood like a statue in the centre of the room, a million different emotions crossing his face. I closed the small space and gripped his arms.

"Please…please believe me…I didn't want to leave you…that was the hardest most painful thing I have ever had to do…" I sobbed.

"Then why?" he whispered, tears running unchecked down his own face now.

"I…I was pregnant…" I whimpered.

"You…my baby?" there was a deeper question in his tone.

"Yes Carlisle it was your baby…I swear to God…it was yours…it was our baby." I said fiercely. Carlisle looked like I'd punched the air from his lungs he stumbled backwards and collapsed onto the other sofa. I dropped to my knees in front of him, taking his hands in mine.

"Why? I would have…I would have loved…our baby…" Carlisle said. "I wouldn't have been angry, we weren't planning it…but I…we…so happy." He said a sad smile twisting his lips.

"I know…I knew…I knew she was wrong…she…she didn't…" the pain of seeing Carlisle so upset and seeing what I knew all along that he would have wanted and loved our child, that he would still have loved me was ripping what was left of heart apart.

"She? Who's she?" he demanded as he shook his head, seemingly trying to focus on not what have been, but what was. I couldn't help the frightened wail that escaped me.

"I'm not lying Carlisle…I swear I'm not lying…you have to believe me…pleeeasse…I have…I have proof…I'm not lying…" I sobbed desperately frantically reaching for my bag which I had dropped. I could barely see as I fumbled for the piece of paper I had carried with me every day for seven years.

"Mae…MAE! Lying about what? Mae, who's she? And what the hell does she have to with us…our baby?" Carlisle demanded standing and looming over me.

"Your mother…your mother…she killed our baby…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" I choked between sobs. Carlisle's face flashed with anger.

"Out! Get out!" Carlisle snarled grabbing my arm and dragging me along the carpet towards the door.

"She hated me! You know she hated me!"

"She changed…she was helping with the wedding…"

I managed to get out of his grip and get to my feet.

"I went down there the week before the wedding remember? That was when I confirmed I was pregnant…your mother found one of the tests. Your father wanted a divorce…"

"She said she understood that she'd be happier without him as well."

"She didn't care about him although there being a new Lady Cullen did piss her off…it was the house. Your father was Lord, but your grandfather put it in his will remember that the house and all its land became yours when you hit thirty. She might have been losing her title, but there was no way she was losing that house, the money and the prestige it gave her. And she would have…you were going to sign it over to Edward for when he got out of the army and Edward told me in no uncertain terms that the first thing he was going to do when it was his was get rid of her. Carlisle, she treated him like crap his whole life…you know this…you were the heir, to her he really was the spare. The thought of losing the house, seeing your father and his new wife there it was too much. The bitch was helping with the wedding, but she told me in no uncertain terms that the year that we were staying in London was more than enough time to split us up. But she knew, she knew with a baby…things would be harder…" I spilled out in a rush. Carlisle's angry glare was now the penetrating gaze he gave suspects.

"He warned me…Dad…warned me not to believe her…when she started being nice…I just thought he was just being bitter…she's my mother…I heard her and Sue arguing…Sue left…not long after the wedding" he mused staggering away from me. Suddenly he spun round

"What did she do?"

"She…" I wrapped my arms around myself in an attempt to control the shudders wracking through my body as I remembered her looming over me as I lay curled up on the bathroom floor, the low, deep searing pain ripping not only my baby, but Carlisle and my heart from my body. The heartless way she had glanced into the toilet bowl at what to her was a collection of cells, but whose tiny visible shape was our baby.

"_Shouldn't be much longer…it's almost all there…oh do try and pull yourself together dear…I had three miscarriages between Carlisle and Edward, I didn't lay around wailing."_

"_You…I did not miscarry…you…you killed your own grandchild." I had sobbed in disbelief._

"Mae…what did she do?" Carlisle repeated. He was standing so close, but he wouldn't touch me, there was still a look of disbelief and anger on his face."

"She…she laced my food with crushed up tablets doctors use to bring on an abortion…" I sobbed sliding down the nearby wall.

"No…no…how? How did she get them?" Carlisle said gripping the sofa for support.

"Your father wasn't the only one who had affairs…she said something about a Blake…Henry…something…"

"Blake Hendrix?" Carlisle demanded.

"Yeah…yeah, I think so…" I said burying my face in my hands trying to press the images of Lady Jane looming over me.

"It's important Mae.."

"Sorry Carlisle…I was a bit preoccupied with the agonizing feeling of having my…our baby ripped out of me…" I snarled.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry love…it's just…" Carlisle began as he dropped to his knees before me. I couldn't help the pitiful whimper that escaped me as he tenderly tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. I needed him, I needed his touch, his warmth to try and bring warmth back to my long dead heart. I grabbed his hand and held it to my cheek. His eyes softened, but I could still see the pain, the disbelief.

"Read the medical report Carlisle…get Edward, get another doctor to translate…but I can tell you what it says…I suffered a spontaneous miscarriage caused by three times the recommended dose of those pills. Once she had made sure it was all over…the bitch…the evil…twisted bitch even pulled the chain…to make suuuure…"

"Maaeee…oh god." Carlisle groaned painfully as he pulled me into his arms crushing me tightly against him as he buried his face in my hair.

"I would never…I would never…have left you….but I…Sue had to take me to hospital…I haemoraged…I wanted you with me so much…Carlisle I was so scared…so…I would never… have left you…but I was so scared…she kept saying…you wouldn't believe meee…I love you…I love you…please believe me…please…please…" I sobbed into his chest.

I whimpered as Carlisle pulled me away from him far enough to look into my face. I kept my arms tightly round his waist and my eyes closed, I couldn't look into his face and see more rejection, see his anger.

"Mae…look at me Mae please love…" I whimpered again at the word and the tone. Carlisle's face was flushed and swollen with crying, but his eyes were full of pain, grief and…love.

"I believe you Mae…do you hear me? I believe you…and I love you too…I never stopped, my beautiful…brave girl." Carlisle said placing tender kisses over my face before claiming my mouth in a soft tender kiss. It was a pattern we would repeat on each other many times that night as we lay in each other's arms.

**AN; Sooo, as I said at the start, truth is often stranger than fiction. What Lady Jane did actually happened in England. A posh very rich woman found out her husband got his American mistress pregnant and wanted a divorce. She didn't and went all fatal attraction, she is currently serving 6 years. If I didn't explain the whole Edward and Mrs Simpson thing clear, Edward the 8****th**** met and fell in love with an American divorcee Mrs S, the establishment wouldn't let them marry, so he abdicated the throne. Read somewhere Madonna is making a movie of the story. **

**Edward's "Prince Albert"-I'm sure most of you who read know what it is, if you don't PM me I'll explain.**

**The shopping center bombs were a real threat, I just decided to give CXE and Jasper a few 24, cop showy moments sorry.**

**Okay, if I haven't sent you all screaming thinking that I've totally ruined things, I'd be grateful if you would push the button**


	5. Chapter 5

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; So, thankfully Lady Jane the very definition of the "mother from hell" didn't scare you all off. She will pay for what she did, but not just yet. This chapter is M rated for lemons and violence. I just want to thank once again my long term readers and my new readers who have taken the chance on this story. Please stick with me and keep hitting the button, it really does mean a lot. As did the message from Michelleisawesome which I liked very, very, very much! LOL! There is more detail about poor little Kelly's death and funeral. I feel they add to the story, but I wanted to warn as I don't want to upset or offend.**

**CPOV**

_2003_

"_Damn it Carlisle, stop being a naïve little mummy's boy and open your eyes! Your mother has shown nothing but distain…no scratch that, she has shown nothing but contempt and hatred to Mae from the moment they met. Not in front of you, her darling son of course, no, to you she's been the poor misunderstood old woman who "doesn't know what on earth she could possibly have done to upset the dear girl". And that was when you were only dating! Now you're actually getting married? Christ it's just as well I'm staying in town…if I had to see Mae cry…"_

"_Like I have had to spend years seeing Mum cry over you?" I had shot back angrily at my father. He had sagged slightly at this, running a hand roughly through his unruly grey hair._

"_Carlisle…I did love your mother…once. I've spent years trying to make her happy, give her what she wanted. But I soon found out that all she wanted from me was my name…my money…my house. She didn't want me, the love I tried to give her. All I wanted was for her to try and love me back. I've wanted a love like you and Mae have all my life and Claire gives me that. Hell I don't know how long it'll last…" he snapped as he saw my sarcastic grimace. "But she makes me happy, she makes me feel loved and wanted. I deserve to be happy Carlisle, so do you and so does Edward…Do you have any idea what it was like, how helpless I felt as a father watching her virtually ignore Edward whilst forcing a wedge between me and you? Hopefully when your time comes to be a father, you will be…"_

It was too painful to remember not just that argument with my father about how Mae had been treated, but also the long discussion that had followed about fatherhood. Especially now I knew how close I had been to it and how _she_, had taken it away from me…from Mae, from us.

Sighing, I slumped into a chair by the breakfast bar, cursing softly as I sipped at my now stone cold coffee. The saying is true. You really should be careful what you wish for, because sometimes it really can turn into a nightmare. I had been desperate to know what had caused Mae to leave, but now I did…

The overwhelming joy I had felt at waking up to find her in my arms, to feel her body curled up against mine, had been overshadowed by the horrific reality of what she had told me. FUCK! Why is it only hindsight that is guaranteed to be 20/20? Mae had tried to tell me more than once about how Jane had treated her, what she was saying. I had even walked in on what must have been one of countless arguments between them. But instead of seeing how upset Mae was, I had only seen Jane's tears, her simpering whines of "_I don't know what I did wrong? "I really didn't mean to upset her" "You must believe me Carlisle." Why would I lie to you?" _Maybe because you are a cold hearted, evil, twisted bitch! I though savagely. I cringed in horror at how roughly I had chastised Mae at times over her treatment of Jane. I had interrogated hardened criminals, professional liars and been able to tell within seconds what was truth and what was a lie, but that evil old bitch? She was meant to be my…mother!

"Christ!" I hissed burying my head in my hands and pulling roughly on my hair. She was supposed to love me, not manipulate, smother and destroy like she had.

Was Mae telling the truth? Sickeningly, what I knew in my heart was confirmed as I reviewed the evidence through the practical, impartial eyes of a copper and not a emotionally confused son. A son who's mother never really loved him, but used him as a meal ticket to keep a title, to keep a fucking house! A house where she had stood calmly by as the woman her son loved…My poor, brave Mae had lost our baby.

I believed Mae. I did. She couldn't, wouldn't lie about this. She would never lie about us…She had like a good detective given me proof to back up her case. Proof that despite my assurances I didn't need to, I had emailed to Edward at the crack of dawn, blacking out Mae's name from the report. I snatched up my cell before the second loud ring could echo through the apartment and wake Mae, who was still asleep.

" Fuck Carlisle! I thought your lot had made backstreet abortion butchery like this illegal! This poor woman whoever she is…the pain must have been horrendous." Edward raged down the line at me. I had almost crushed my phone as I thought of Mae in so much pain, being so frightened, so alone.

"Please tell me she got medical help." Edward barked down the phone, bringing me back to reality. "the amount of this drug she had in her system…the bleeding could have been fatal."

"She got help…eventually." I whispered trying to hold back the agonized cry I felt bubbling in my chest as I took in his words.

"How is she now?"

"She'll be alright…I'll make sure of it…and Edward, I'm sorry." And not just for getting you out of bed at the crack of dawn I thought sadly.

"Do you mean it Carlisle? Will you make sure I'm alright?" Mae asked softly from behind me. I ended the call and turned round. She was pale faced her eyes still swollen from crying and her clothes were rumpled from where we had collapsed exhausted onto the bed, but she had never looked more beautiful.

"If you'll let me…if you want me to?"

"I meant what I said last night…I still love you."

"Even after…"

"Carlisle, the sins of the sick and twisted mothers shall not be visited on their amazing sons…not by me…not again, can you really forgive me for leaving?"

"If you can forgive me for not believing you about what my mother said…how she treated you."

Some of the intense emotion of the previous night was starting to clear, so it was with more than a little trepidation I held out my hand towards her. It made my heart clench painfully to see the brief flash of uncertainty which crossed her face before she walked forward and took it, allowing me to pull her into my arms. We stood hands resting lightly on each other's waists as we stood facing each other.

"She's your mother." Mae said matter of factly, as if that could excuse everything. Jane Cullen was a lot of things, an evil twisted murderer to name one, but one thing she certainly wasn't anymore was my mother. When I thought of poor little Kelly's mother, the type of mother Mae could have been if she had been given the chance, Jane was an insult to them and all mother's

"You called Edward after all."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She replied cupping my cheek in her soft hand.

"God I've missed you." I exhaled in a noisy, ragged rush as I closed my eyes for a second and covered her hand with my own, losing myself in the painfully intense crackles of pleasure shooting through my body at her touch.

"So Edward knows." Mae said looking for some reason ashamed and embarrassed.

"No, I blacked out your name on the report…for his sake as much as yours. He was horrified at what he saw on that report…what you suffered. You know better than anyone that Jane and Edward don't really get on, if he knew that that report was about you and that she…she had done it, been the cause of us being apart. It could be dangerous." I sighed. Edward and Jane's already difficult relationship had become worse after he had seen where I couldn't, how she had treated Mae and how much pleasure she got from our separation. And he had lost my father, his one true parent, support and protector. Mae nodded and we were silent for a long moment, just staring into each other's minds it felt like.

"It took a few hours for the pains to start." She said finally.

"Mae."

"You want to know." It was a statement, not a question and she was right sort of. The Carlisle that was trying and failing to hide behind his professional shell, wanted to know the details of this violent crime. The Carlisle who was her fiancée the man who loved her, who felt sick at the thought of how much she had suffered did not want to add to the images in his head. "I need to tell you." She said flatly. Keeping my hand in hers, Mae led us over to the couch. We sat facing each other, fingers entwined, not wanting to the loose the strength and comfort we drew from each other.

"I should have been on my guard when she didn't react after finding the test. But I was so stunned…a bit scared…"

I opened my mouth to speak, but she held up a hand.

"Carlisle, what we had, it was the definition of a whirlwind romance, a very intense whirlwind, we dealt with suicide bombers, drug dealers, pissed off security service men, we had plans to move to the States and do the same over there, but on a bigger scale. You can't blame me for being a little worried that you could be a bit upset by the news…I knew, I know how much you love me, how much you would have loved the baby. But I was full of raging pregnancy hormones, wedding nerves. As the week went on, the more I had chance to get used to the idea, I began to realise that it would have been tough, but we would have made it work together."

She was right. I would have been shocked, scared, but I would have only loved her more…and I would have loved my child. I leant forward and kissed her softly, using my free hand to brush away the fresh tears that were leaking from the corners of her eyes with my thumb.

"I thought the pains were something that I ate at first. Alice had us trying foods and wines of the Mediterranean to prepare me for the honeymoon." She said softly with a sad smile. I groaned softly. We had been planning to cruise the Med on a private yacht for our honeymoon.

"Then…the bleeding started. I wanted to call you…call your Dad or Edward. I knew I needed a doctor. You were only staying at the pub in the village…but it happened so quickly." She said bitterly, her body shaking as she remembered.

"Why didn't you call Alice?"

"She was in the other wing…your mother…I think I must have passed out, because when I woke up on the bathroom floor…she was there…watching me. She told me…she…" Mae stammered as the tears began to flow faster and heavier and her body began to shake even more. Mae moved my legs, so that there was one lying along the couch, the other on the floor giving her room to sit between them, her back pressed against my chest. I wrapped my arms tightly round her and kissed the top of her hair. There was a reason confessions were heard behind screens. Sometimes actually seeing the raw pain in someone's eyes as you hear a highly emotional story can be too intense no matter how much you love the person.

"she told me to scream as much as I liked…no one would hear me…" Mae began to cry. I held her, kissing her hair, crooning words of love and encouragement in my own voice which was thick with tears.

"I'm sorry…so sorry…but your safe now my darling…I've got you now." I said running my hands along her arms and raising one of joined hands to my lips. After a few long minutes Mae composed herself, blowing her nose with a small laugh on the handkerchief I had managed to pull from my pocket. She always thought that it was a really English gentleman thing for me to have.

"She took great delight in telling me what she'd done and why…how she couldn't, wouldn't let you go, how she wouldn't lose the house…she would still be Lady Cullen of Harrowview if not in London society circles. I told her that you'd hate her for what she'd done…" the desperate need for conformation in her tone was heart breaking. "But she just kept laughing and telling me that you would never believe me."

"And the bitch knew she was right…then not now." I said, but Mae still tensed in my arms before sitting up and moving further down the sofa from me. "Mae, I've been doing a lot of thinking darling…I've been reviewing the evidence so to speak…I know it's no excuse, but that woman, she was a master at…for years I thought my father wasn't interested in me as a child. He would never come to my school events, but he was always there for Edward's, clapping and cheering the loudest. My mother always swore she told him, gave him plenty of notice to cover his work. He swore, pleaded for me to believe he never knew anything, even got his secretary to speak to me…but my mother then demanded to know who's side I was on, who I believed? She was always so believeable…so fragile, so bloody pitiful when she started with the "I waited as long as I possibly could dear…but I didn't want to be late? I didn't want you thinking both your parents can't be bothered, that there isn't one of us who is so proud." I sneered in a sing song imitation of her voice. "Nothing was too much trouble, I got what I wanted, she liked and spoiled my friends, I became a brat, which started arguments with my father, who seemed to spend even more time with Edward. I didn't know then it was to try and make up for the fact that that woman would barely even look at the poor little bastard. I was so jealous, I tried to join in with them, but then my mother would develop one of her headaches, her health, her emotional blackmail, Elizabeth Taylor had nothing on her.

As I got older I got wise to a lot of it, but the damage was done, I felt guilty for upsetting her, not taking her side…my Dad was away a lot, she was lonely, she knew that making my Dad proud was important, so I was her escort to events. She had always been quite friendly with the other women I had dated, but I guess because she knew that my career was more important to me than any relationship…you know, that was the only time she encouraged my career…when I was seeing someone. There was me thinking she was coming round to the idea." I snorted bitterly. "With you, I knew it was different, I'd told her in no uncertain terms how much you meant, how much I loved you…love you. I knew she might be…"

"Difficult was what you called her." Mae said tightly.

"I know." I sighed hanging my head. "There are no excuses…we had been fighting at work, over how the spooks, your lot wanted to handle the bomber situation. I knew that you were being pulled in different directions, but the arrogant asshole that she had bred in me was pissed off you weren't on my side. She was of course, saying everything I wanted, needed to hear. "She can't help it Carlisle…they do things differently in the States. She doesn't have your rank, your experience!"

"We can't all be high flying overachievers." Mae said dryly. My nickname amongst the ranks apart from Ritchie Rich, was the Boy Wonder because I moved up the ladder so fast. I blushed.

"Catching criminals I'm a fucking genius! I can understand them perfectly, spot a liar a mile off. But when I have someone right infront of me that is emotionally twisted, screwed up, down right evil, I have less emotional intelligence than a fucking teenager." I raged.

"She loved to tell me that coming from a broken home …I would have no idea about how to be a good wife. I didn't know what it took to make a marriage work…the little sacrifices, the little things you have to overlook to get along…apparently my mother should have just grinned and bore the beatings my father gave her."

"Mae I never thought those things"

"Yes you did Carlisle. Sometimes at least" Mae said sharply. And the terrible thing was she was right. There were moments between Mae and I where her past made her oversensitive to incidents that I couldn't see the problem with. Sometimes when we argued, it was as if she was pushing me, deliberately trying to make me lose my temper, see how far she could push me. Or she would become so submissive and stepfordwifey that I wanted to shout at her, but knew I couldn't.

"Neither of us are perfect love, we were just getting into that stage where we were learning the bad things about each other, but we never had the time to talk properly and deal with them, she used that, played on it…exploited our weaknesses. Therapy…I am American remember…to us, talking about our problems is not a sign of weakness. And seven years does give you a long time to think, gain a little perspective." Mae said in answer to my obvious surprise at her take on the situation. She moved back along the couch towards me, taking my hands in hers.

"Carlisle, she's cost us so much time…poisoned us both in her own way…no more…please." She said fiercely.

"She will pay…I will make her pay, I promise you…I don't know how yet…I couldn't trust myself…but I promise you…never again, she'll never come between us again."

"I believe you." Mae said quietly.

We sat in silence for a long while.

"What? What else do you want to know?" she asked finally, stroking at the furrow that had formed between my brows as so many questions, so many tortured thoughts flashed through my mind.

"Edward…he said…the bleeding could have been fatal." I stammered finally. Mae's face twisted in pain as a flood of different emotions raced through her mind. I don't know if she realized she was doing it, but she placed her hand protectively across her stomach.

"I didn't tell her, but I think Sue knew I was pregnant. She began fussing over me even more than usual, she also began running interference with your mother…Anyway, she found me not long after your mother had left me. For a small woman, Sue is incredibly strong." Mae huffed with a sad laugh. "She got me into the car and took me to the hospital in the next town. Don't be angry with her Carlisle please…it was all down to me. Sue was heartbroken knowing how hurt you were going to be…I do wonder sometimes what would have happened if I had just been found the next morning like your mother planned…if I made it through the night that is…Can't you just see the bitch loving the chance to address the church, tell them of our tragic loss, or better yet ask if they could they all come back the following week for my funeral." Mae laughed bitterly.

I crushed her against me, needing to ground myself in the present, where she was actually here with me and not let the horrifying thoughts of what could have happened overwhelm me.

"Good old Sue though, she may not say a lot…but she sees everything." Mae said quietly against my chest, her anger leaving as quickly as it came. We were grieving, for what we had lost.

"She's a wonderful woman, Edward calls her Mum. Everyone things it's a joke…it's not." I sighed sadly.

"I always hated how your mother dismissed Edward, all the wonderful things he achieved, what a wonderful man he is."

"He's been a damn good brother."

"He reminds me a lot of your Dad." Mae said pulling away a little to look into my face. "I'm so sorry about him." She said sincerely.

"He and Claire lasted you know, he was always worried she'd head off with a younger man, but she really did love him. She was the one that was caring for him at the end, the one holding his hand and sitting up with him when he was screaming in agony…not my mother. They never did get divorced. They kept up appearances as Lord and Lady Cullen, but everyone knew…who his real wife, his real love was." I said bitterly. "I'm so glad that he got some of the happiness he deserved…he was a great man, a wonderful father, despite my mother's efforts. He was there fighting my corner over my career, supporting, kicking my ass when I was wimping out. He was there…after…when things were bad…didn't laugh at me when I cried like a baby in his arms. Thing was, he was always trying to get me to call you, fly to the States…he really liked…no, he loved you…" I heard Mae's breath catch.

Suddenly our cell phones both burst into life making us jump.

"Alice!" we said in unison

"Yes Alice, we're both okay." I said.

"No Alice, we haven't hurt each other…we've wasted enough time doing that." Mae said squeezing my hand. The weird conversation lasted another few minutes before Jasper yelled that we did have work to be doing.

"Okay, she must be sitting there with the cell on one ear and the landline on the other." Mae laughed.

"Probably. Did Alice…does she know?" I asked quietly. I had confronted her once, almost coming to blows with Jasper, but when she had tearfully told me she didn't know, I believed her.

"Yes, about three months after, I opened my apartment door to find myself being tackled to the ground by one seriously pissed off pixie. I ended up with three stitches in the back of my head she banged it so hard off the floor when we landed." Mae said grimly.

"She was probably taking out her frustrations at me taking root in their guest room. I couldn't come back here for a long time afterwards…memories. I got Alice to dump all your stuff." I said sheepishly.

"It's okay, I would have done the same. I couldn't risk Sue bringing me anything from the house, so she bought me a few clothes and left me a train ticket to London. I used one of my undercover passports to get home."

I nodded, I had wondered. I had thought of putting out a search for her, but she was a CIA trained agent, she could vanish if she had to. The months after she had left were a clichéd blur of working too hard and drinking too much. Without Alice, Jasper, Edward and my Dad, I would have either lost everything to drink, or been taken out by one of the big league criminals we had been tackling at the time, who I took great delight in pushing. Mae was gently stroking my face, her eyes full of concern and love that I was desperate to feel like I actually deserved again. I still couldn't believe that she had had the strength to come back, that she wasn't running away again screaming. I caught her hand and kissed her palm.

"I swear five minutes of interrogation by Alice would have the toughest criminal begging for mercy." Mae said with a soft chuckle. "She wanted to tell you…me forcing her to keep quiet well, I really did think it would finish our friendship. She did ignore me for a long time, she really does care for you love…and amazingly, she still cares for me. I really did miss her though."

"She missed you too, pined according to Jasper. She has a lot of friends, but she always said that you were more like a sister…but everyone missed you. I think Emmett took things almost as bad as me." I chuckled humourlessly. Despite looking so intimidating and having such a happy go lucky personality, Emmett could be a real softie when it came to people he cared about.

"Speak of the devil." Mae said as her cell burst into life. "That was Rose." She said after a brief conversation. "Those pieces of paper we found at Talbot's place? The ones we thought were a map?" I nodded. I was exhausted as was she, but her brain seemed to be working a little faster than mine. "Em thinks he has something." She said, the flash of excitement I felt, flashed in her eyes. I could see her slipping gratefully back into her professional shell, I couldn't let her go yet.

"Dinner tonight…please." I said taking her face in my hands.

A strange but soft look came into her eyes, twisting her lips into a slight smile.

"That damn please gets me everytime." She sighed.

It hit me then what she was remembering. The first time I had asked her out to dinner.

"Tactical Planning and Procedures Meeting."

"You remembered." She smiled.

"Of course, it was a very educational meeting. I learnt some very interesting things." I replied innocently, my hands now running along her shoulders and up and down her arms as I desperately tried to sate my craving for the feel of body, her soft skin beneath my hands again.

"Oh yes?" she asked archly.

"Yes, I learnt that you are shameless and will agree to dinner with a stranger in return for a cigarette."

She froze. Shit, had I gone too far, too soon with the playful banter.

"Well he was an incredibly handsome and charming stranger. Had one of those really cute accents." She teased. I let out a noisy breath of relief as I heard her tone.

"Is that so?" I said, making my accent as upper class as possible. Her giggle was a wonderful sound.

"Yup, dinner was okay." She said off handedly. I was a little hurt, I had snuck out early and spent ages cooking! "But dessert was amazing naughty and sweet." She purred. "I wouldn't mind some more of that."

My head had been so full of Mae, of us, I had forgotten that as she had died due to injuries caused by a crime we were investigating, little Kelly's postmortem, to determine which injury had killed her and whether we could get Talbot and Mitchell on a murder charge, would be done by Emmett.

Walking into Emmett's usually noisy lab to hear nursery rhymes and young children's lullaby's playing had felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I could see Mae, who had met me at the lab after going home to change was struggling as well. Our child hadn't been what doctor's would call viable, being only ten weeks gestation, but the thought of what could have been was still very raw to us both.

"Now don't you worry sweetheart. Uncle Em will leave the light on in here and the music, there's no need to be scared…night night little girl." Emmett said softly as he covered the small body with a sheet, letting his large hand tenderly brush over her head.

"Em?" I croaked.

He spun round, a scowl on his face at the interruption till he saw it was me.

"It's at times like this, I wish this place wasn't so damn cold. Babies don't like the cold." He growled, scrubbing a large hand over his face to try and hide the tears that I had already seen pooling in the corners of his eyes.

"Did you get enough?" I said having to turn away.

"Yes, I have enough evidence, but I'm hoping that one of you lot catch them first and take them out…violently and painfully." He snarled. "Or better yet…let me have them. However till that wonderful day occurs…I have other things to talk to you about" he said, shaking himself reluctantly from his vicious daydream.

Both Mae and I couldn't help our looks of surprise when we saw the genuine looks of concern that Rosie gave Emmett or the affectionate shoulder squeeze he gave her in return as he took his place in the main lab.

"Now whilst you two have been finally dealing with your personal shit and putting us out of your misery…and I'm thinking some progress has been made since I last saw you both." Emmett said with a teasing but genuinely happy smile as he looked at Mae and I. It took us a moment to realize that he was grinning at how close we were standing and how our body language seemed to be in almost perfect symmetry. I saw Mae's beautiful blush spread across her cheeks and felt my own neck prickle with heat.

"We've made a good start." Mae said quietly causing my heart to sore in my chest.

"Thank god for that! Now Rosie and I have been slaving away, risking our eyesight and our sanity, but like the dedicated public servants we are, for the good of our two countries Special Relationship we struggled on and found…"

"It's military instillation of some kind." Rosie said flatly.

Emmett looked like a little boy that had just been told Christmas was cancelled so great was his disappointment at having his thunder stolen from him.

"Which one?" Mae asked

"Jesus Mae, miracles we can do, the impossible takes a bit longer." Rosie snapped in a way that judging by Mae's reaction, she didn't do often.

"Although I'm sure it won't take Doctor Hale that long." Emmett bristled, still crushed. Mae and I left them to their bickering. Whilst they began the process of cross matching their map with maps and plans for the many military bases in the country. Mae and I headed off to brief our respective bosses before coming back together later to work out how the hell we were going to try and stop this new disaster on an unknown military base somewhere in England. The task ahead of us was almost impossible and would be thankless for the most part. But despite all this and my physical and emotional exhaustion, I was looking forward to the challenge. And as I glanced across at Mae who I was dropping off on the way, I saw the gleam of excitement in her eye.

"So the game is…officially on." Mae said in a terrible English accent.

"Hell Yeah!" I replied in an equally terrible American one.

**ESME POV**

Carlisle and I didn't have dinner that night, or for the following few days. There were still American military bases in England and I had to spend time at the CIA London field office collating intelligence, arguing with officious military men who sounded like stuck records as they droned "That's classified" in answer to my questions. I was also trying to secure not only my immediate but also my longterm future in London. Which meant several long and late video calls to Marcus in Langley.

"I'm trying to safeguard them, their troops and all the other secret freaking James Bond stuff they're hiding." I raged into the monitor after another long and fruitless phone call to some Colonel or another.

"Well thank fuck for that!" Marcus said finally after a long silence.

"What?" I asked confused.

"As happy as I am that you and Cullen have sorted out some of your personal shit…I was worried that it might affect your work, your edge…but all the pissed off phone calls I've been receiving have told me your busting balls and on your game. And it appears Cullen is just as sharp on his side…have you two talked much about tactical plans, even hypotheticals you've mocked up for the army brass?"

"No, I've hardly seen him."

Marcus chuckled. "He's put forward either the same ideas as you or, ideas that seem to fit perfectly with yours to his people…At least with you two back on the same page, we might have a fucking chance at stopping whatever the hell this is."

Whilst I knew our emotional connections would take longer to heal and re-connect hopefully stronger than they had been before, it did feel good to know that the intimate, intuitive work professional connection that Carlisle and I shared was reforming easily.

When I finally did return to the SCI unit after a frantic call from Jasper for a fresh set of eyes and an extra set of hands, I found it in partial darkness and empty, apart from Carlisle perched on the corner of his desk, a rug on the floor at his feet. Set out on it were two portions of fish and chips, something I had grown way to fond of and soda's tipped into wine glasses, the empty can of one acting as vase for a rose.

"We had plans for dinner." Carlisle said shyly, his face flushed with the cutest blush.

"Yes we did." I said with a soft chuckle. He looked so nervous. He was tired, physically and emotionally, I could see it in the sag of his shoulders, the dark smudges beneath his eyes, but those eyes were still shining with excitement, nerves, uncertainty…love,…everything I was feeling. I couldn't help the rush of need as I took in his loosened tie and sexy disheveled air.

"Jasper has taken the others for pizza…I wanted our dinner to be somewhere a little more exclusive." He said with a nervous laugh.

"It's perfect." And it was.

The relief on his face was heartbreaking.

"Madaam." He said waving his hand dramatically towards our table. We both sank down to sit Indian style. His hand brushed mine as he reached for the vinegar and the painfully intense crackle of pleasure that shot through me at his touch, caused my breath to catch in my throat. He let his thumb circle the back of my hand and his eyes tell me that he had felt it too. We began to talk, about silly, easy things in an attempt to distract ourselves.

"I couldn't believe it when he called her Rosie…instead of Doctor Hale…or that woman…great detectives we are…not seeing that developing…right under our noses." Carlisle laughed

"I did feel sorry for him when Rosie crushed his big dramatic reveal." I chuckled.

"Em's dramatic tendencies can take a lot of getting used to. It'll only get worse when that new Bella Swan movie comes out..he's talking of getting an agent." Carlisle grinned. "It's a shame Rosie won't be here to keep his ego in check." He said sadly

"I think Rosie is hoping that we're not as good as people keep telling her we are…so that she gets to stay a little longer."

I had known Rosie for a long time and had never seen her look at or talk about anyone the way she looked at and talked to Emmett. I could see Carlisle's unasked question in his eyes, feel it in the heavy charged air between us.

"Sometimes hoping things will happen…isn't enough."

The rawness of the pain and hurt that flashed in his eyes as he _thought _he knew what I was about to say, made me want to cry.

"Sometimes you have to be brave…take a risk, make things happen…even if you're not sure how they'll turn out." He looked confused, still scared.

"I've applied for a permanent transfer to the London office." I said, it was now my turn to be nervous.

"Mae…" he breathed, a beautiful smile covering his face. Pain old and new and the extra years they had added to his handsome face, seemed to fade away, revealing just for a second the Carlisle I had first met.

"They could say no." I warned.

"I don't think they will…despite Marcus' moaning. I'm damn good at my job…you and I together…well…" I said with a grin.

The smile had faded from his face a little. We both used work to hide behind.

"Carlisle I meant what I said…I still love you." I couldn't help the anxiety and question in my tone. After some time apart, extra time to think after the intense emotion had cooled a little, there was a real chance things could change. I had left him after all, no word, no explanation for seven years. But as I looked in Carlisle's eyes, I realized I had nothing to fear. All I saw were the same fears and excitement I felt for the future…and love…real love.

"We need time, to strengthen that love by doing…experiencing all the things we never had time to do before…good and bad things…and this love…is a great start for the good things."

"I proposed too soon…" he sighed in a harsh, self chastising tone.

"Maybe…a little."

The pain on his face tore at my heart. Sweeping aside the debris of our meal, I crawled forward and knelt up in front of him, resting my hands on his shoulders.

"Carlisle…we as people are very intense…we are good judges of characters…we make quick, life changing decisions all the time. And for us, marriage was the right decision."

I could feel the tears sliding down my cheeks as I saw the joy in his face as he took in my words.

"But as I say, we need time to strengthen the love we have, strengthen it so nothing…no one…can come between us again."

"I love you so much." Carlisle whimpered, raising to his knees and cupping my face in his hands.

"Say it again…please" I whispered tipping my forehead against his.

"I love you…I love you…" he said covering my face in soft tender kisses.

"But can you forgive me? For leaving you…" I whispered. I was light headed from the intense rush of love I was feeling and the intense familiar rush of desire from his touch and kiss.

"Mae…you were hurt, mentally and physically…you were frightened for your life. What is it we say to people who think that there is an intruder in there home, a threat to their safety? Get themselves to a place of safety. That's what you did love. I just wish you…never had to. Mae, I meant what I said…she will pay…I swear." Carlisle said fiercely.

"Not yet…I'm not…ready, not strong enough." I whimpered. Not able to control the violent shudders which wracked my body at the thought of seeing her. I had worked through so much, moved past, understood become stronger. But I knew that I could not face that sick pitch until Carlisle and I were stronger.

"Mae…Mae love, look at me."

I hadn't realized I had closed them.

"She …she will never hurt you again. I will never allow her to hurt you…to hurt us…to get between us." He growled

"Kiss me." I breathed.

His lips were sticky from our meal, but as I felt his lips beneath mine, tasted what was pure Carlisle, I couldn't help the moan that escaped me. My hands found their natural home in his hair, caressing the skin of his neck. My tounge found his and we played, before almost reverentionally taking a little time to revisit the places, lay the caresses, to suck and nip in ways that had us moaning. A moan which deepened when Carlisle moved, pulling me between his legs and crushed me against his chest.

"Okay…we need to stop." I gasped when I finally managed to pull away to breathe.

"Kay." Carlisle said with a little pout that was too cute.

"Time my love…we don't have much before the others get back. But we have more time for this and more…just not now." I purred. "This is a new start for us Carlisle. We can't get back the seven years we lost…had stolen from us, or the pain they've caused, but we can try and make a new life…new memories, which will hopefully make the old ones hurt a little less." I sighed. Carlisle's eyes were soft and full of love and still a little lust as he helped me to my feet.

"I think I would like some time with your therapist…" he said in a tone that wasn't totally joking.

"Well my main one is the States, but my emergency contact over here…Whitlock…Alice Whitlock, she's very exclusive and very expensive…but I think she might fit you in." I chuckled.

But spending time together wasn't as easy as we hoped. It was Carlisle's turn to be either stuck in security meetings or at court giving evidence for older cases. However Carlisle had begun picking me up for work from Alice and Jasper's. We talked about normal things on these journey's, we laughed, listened to music, bickered when I continued to insist on being dropped off round the block. People knew, some liked it, some didn't, I didn't care. I just didn't want to be accused of throwing it in people's faces. I quickly grew to love English traffic jams and road works, which gave us more time. I was just as happy listening to Carlisle ranting at the traffic as I was listening to the glorious, rich, deep, sound of his laugh, which Jasper remarked came a lot easier these days. It wasn't only talking we did in the car, as a very shocked traffic warden found out!

"This your idea of showing a bird a good time is it Mr C? Bringing 'er to meet a snitch?" TC a small, thin, weasley faced man who was Carlisle's most reliable informant wheezed as he climbed into the back of the car. We were parked on the eighth floor of a multi story car park at nearly midnight, but TC's beady little eyes and pale face were tense and unable to settle, he was constantly scanning the area for threats. Surely cash was no compensation for a possibly shortened life and one that would leave you a paranoid mess who was forever looking over your shoulder.

"I don't know how he acts with birds…but I can assure you, he shows me a very good time." I replied icily. TC's wheezy,laugh exploded round the car.

"'ere…she's a Yank." He said suddenly observing me through narrowed eyes.

"These astounding powers of observation are why I pay you the big bucks TC." Carlisle replied acidly.

"She ain't _the Yank_ is she?"

It seemed what had happened between Carlisle and I had not only scandalized the high society set, but also the criminal underworld!

"TC, before you make the journey to the ground floor without the aid of a lift or the stairs, what is it you wanted? There are other things I'd rather be doing?" Carlisle snapped.

"I bet there are." TC sniggered briefly, before catching Carlisle's chilling glare in the driver's mirror. "Talbot and Mitchell, you still want them?"

"Yesss, but TC I have to warn you that they're mixed up with some very heavy…nasty people." Carlisle said quietly, but in a tone that told me that he genuinely cared for this man's safety. I could however see his excitement and interest show itself in the tensing of his jaw and his increased grip on the steering wheel.

"Where your concerned Mister C, that doesn't shock me. But I have to warn you, I'm getting a bit old to save your arse from a kicking by a gang of bare knuckle fighters."

My head snapped round to stare at Carlisle. What the fuck? Even in the dim neon lighting of the car park, I could see Carlisle tense and pale.

"You're as old as the woman you're feeling TC…how old is Marcia by the way?" Carlisle huffed sarcastically trying to lighten the mood.

"Old enough!" TC huffed. Looking a little closer, I saw TC was one of those embarrassing middle aged men who tried to dress like a teenager. "It's not right…what happened to that poor little kiddie. Dying like that…all for some knocked off DVD players or whatever." TC sighed.

"How are the children?" Carlisle asked conversationally.

"Which ones?" TC grinned. Carlisle had briefed me that TC had six children by four different women.

"You might have to lie low for quite a while after this one TC…I'll see your okay…but it could be awhile."

"Could do with a break from all the nagging…Mitchell has been asking around, trying to get one of those big new SUV's, the one with all the reinforced plating and fuck off big bull bars on the front." TC said lowly, but with a slightly breathy dramatic tone to his voice.

This threw up several possibilities for us.

"That's not all though." TC said, his tone more excited and dramatic. Had he and Emmett met? I wondered.

"I've got a bit saved up, thought Marcia deserved a decent bit of tom…tomfoolery…jewellery…" TC said slowly in answer to my confused look. "Anyway…who did I see when I headed up Hatton Garden way? Talbot all suited up strutting around like he was the dog's bollocks…sorry." TC said sheepishly as he remembered I was there. It was sweet in a strange sort of way, the way a lot of criminals had a very old fashioned and respectful way with women. "He was defiantly casing a place…but if you lot are after him…he ain't got time to plan anything fancy." TC mused.

"Whatever he, Mitchell and Thierson are trying to bank roll, they're short." Carlisle hissed

"By a hell of a lot if they're planning what do you call it?"

"A ram raid."

" In Hatton Garden." I said quietly. Hatton Garden was home to not only English but some international diamond dealers and stores.

"Where? Which store?" Carlisle demanded with a ferocity that surprised me…until…

"Shit!" I hissed.

"Well that just fucking does it! When we found these little shits, I was going to let have Emmett play with them for five minutes…but they're all fucking mine now." Jasper sighed in a tone that dared us to argue.

"Jazz…please." Alice, who herself was a strained, nervous little ball of energy begged gripping his arm.

We had come straight from our meeting with TC to tell Alice and Jasper.

"Get on the internet…book yourself a flight, first class, business class…whatever…go shop, New York, Milan anywhere you want…anywhere but here." Jasper said turning to Alice, his body tense, his eyes wild with anger but most of all fear for his wife.

"No Jazz. Alice replied quietly.

"You're not going to be in there! No Al! I won't allow it!" Jasper raged, his gaze locking with the fierce and annoyed one Alice was giving him for daring to forbid her to do something. Alice's temper faded first however as fear not only her business, but also herself kicked in.

Jasper pulled her into his arms and crushed her against his chest, lifting her from the floor to kiss her. She gently stroked his face as they gazed into each other's in such an intimate way, that it made Carlisle and I feel as if we were intruding.

"When?" Jasper asked finally

"Friday afternoon." Carlisle said quietly

"That's when I get the stones for my new designs or repairs from Mr Meyerson the dealer."

Alice was a jewellery designer who specialized in using diamonds. As well as wealthy wives, she had gained a reputation with a few celebrities. Alice had met Edward when she was studying for a post graduate course in design and he was just finishing his medical training. He was working in the emergency room when she came in after her burning herself on some equipment she used in her work. Alice had set him up with her friend and although that relationship had been brief, the friendship between Alice and Edward had grown stronger.

"What time does that happen? I asked gently.

"About two."

"Well, I'll be there with you."

I saw a brief flash of concern cross Carlisle's face, but he simply nodded.

"Sweetheart, if we could, we'd stop them before they got to you…but we need them really badly. We need to know what they need so much money for. We can't risk them being allowed to walk because their lawyers convince the judge that they were just driving down the street. But Jazz, Jake, the whole damn team will be there..I won't let them hurt you." Carlisle said hugging her to his side as she perched on the edge of the sofa next to him. She leant against his chest.

"My store…my beautiful store…I worked so hard…Carlisle I swear, you had better get to them before I do." Alice growled.

Friday came about quicker than anyone would have liked.

"Alice…whatever happens, you stay behind the counter…Hear me." I said firmly. Alice nodded, her face was pale, tight and scared. An emotion that was just wrong on her beautiful face. I pulled her into a hug that she returned fiercely.

"I'm so glad you're here Mae…and not just for me…we all need you…" she whispered into my neck.

"Amen to that." I heard Jasper say in my ear piece. Carlisle made a strange sound that sounded like the sob I felt building in my chest. I didn't trust my voice, so I simply hugged her again. I had felt so alone, so frightened for so long. Being back with Carlisle, with my friends…it had all seemed like an impossible dream. I excused myself to check on the two assistants who were thrilled to be getting a half day.

"Are you sure that the team, that Jazz and Carlisle are out there…I can't see them…" Alice said nervously as she peered at the extended CCTV of the street we had set up.

"I'm sure…if you can't see them, then neither will Mitchell and Talbot." I explained gently.

"Oh…right." She sighed flopping listlessy next to me on the sofa in her office. "So how are things going between you and Carlisle?" she asked suddenly. Carlisle seemed to be choking in my ear piece and I could also hear the sniggers from the rest of the team.

she opened her mouth to tell me that wasn't what she meant. I leapt up and grabbed a sketch pad and marker from her desk.

**THIS ISN'T A PRIVATE CONVERSATION! THE WALLS AND I HAVE EXTRA EARS REMEMBER! ** I scribbled furiously, tapping my ear with my free hand to remind her that I was wearing an earpiece that let me hear the whole team and them hear me! Alice's mouth fell open into a comical O shape, but her eyes were still dancing with devilment.

_**THIS IS SO HIGH SCHOOL-PASSING NOTES-I LOVE IT!**_

**WELL, THERE'S NOTHING I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE CLASS, SO MAKE SURE YOU GET RID!**

Alice rolled her eyes as if to say of course!

**SO HAS HE ASKED YOU TO GO STEADY?**

**YOU KNOW WE'RE SEEING EACH OTHER!**

**I MEAN THE M WORD!**

I squeaked in shock!

**YOU SAID YOURSELF IT'S TOO DAMN SOON! **I scribbled glaring at her.

**YOU WILL THOUGH!**

She looked like an anxious child for a moment. It was early, anything could happen, but I knew deep down we would get there again and this time…it would happen and it would last, be everything we wanted.

**SO YOU'RE ACTUALLY DATING, GETTING TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS YOU ARE SAYING I DO TO?**

I nodded with a grin.

**SO HOW MANY DATES HAVE YOU HAD? PROPER ONES!**

**THREE**

Apart from our impromptu little picnic, we had also played hookie and gone to an afternoon movie and spent a fun night in the pub watching a pretty good band.

"_What do you reckon?" Carlisle had asked leaning into me._

"_Not bad, but the lead guitarist is trying to hard!"_

"_He's playing_ _really well."_

"_Don't mean his playing. I mean the whole rock god thing he's trying to work. Leather pants and a Mick Jagger strut…please. The hottest guitarist I ever saw was playing Pinball Wizard wearing black jeans and a grey T-shirt that showed off his amazing six pack. And he had these blue eyes…damn! Made me feel like he was playing only for me." I had moved from my seat to sit sideways on Carlisle's lap and croon the last words in his ear nipping the lobe as I did so. I wasn't lying, seeing Carlisle play guitar had been the hottest thing ever. Because of how he looked, but also seeing him so relaxed, lost in his passion. As I hoped, Carlisle let loose a long low sexy growl that sent waves of need crashing through my body. When I looked into his eyes and seen them darken and hood with lust, I had wanted him so badly._

"_He was." He had growled in my ear, sucking and teasing the lobe and the sensitive skin behind my ear. I had turned on his lap so I could stand straight, rolling my hips and stroking his thigh as I did._

An angry buzzing sound from Alice dragged me out of my lust haze. I couldn't help but laugh.

**1****st**** 2****nd**** or 3****rd**** BASE?**

My eyes widened. Alice gave me her lethal pleading eyes and pout that got her what she wanted.

**3****rd**** AND A HOME RUN-LIKE YOU DIDN'T KNOW!**

**CARE TO SHARE?**

**NO! PERVERT!**

**PLEEEASE? I'M SCARED, NEED DISTRACTING!**She pouted and I saw the genuine fear on her face as she kept glancing at the clock. And I had to admit I would love the chance to talk through some of the overwhelming feelings that being physical with Carlisle again bought out in me. Alice saw my indecision

**GOOD AS YOU REMEMBERED?**

**DIFFERENT…BUT BETTER**

"_Did seeing me play the guitar bring out any other naughty groupie feelings in you?"_

"_FUCK! Carlisle you scared me…" I had huffed when I opened the door of the pub's thankfully empty ladies room to see Carlisle leaning against the frame. But any fear was soon replaced by overpowering need when I saw the look in his eye_

"_Yes, but you'll have to take me home…pub toilets are a little too cliché for me." I had purred, my tounge running over my lips as I openly drooled over the dark red shirt that was clinging to his chest and the jeans which clung sinfully to his ass._

_I had kept trying to tell myself that we had time, we didn't need to rush. But I knew the time had come for more than words. We needed action, we needed to reclaim each other physically as well as mentally._

_We had made it as far as the car. Thank god for tinted windows and faulty lighting in the pub car park!_

"_Mae…God Mae…feel…soo good." Carlisle had hissed as I had taken his hard length into my mouth. I had hummed in agreement at this, causing him to moan and tighten his grip in my hair. I had missed this intimacy, this taste almost as much as I had missed his kisses. Flattening my tounge, I had just made a pass along his length to soothe where my teeth had gently grazed moments before when I felt Carlisle press my shoulder, telling me to stop. I had been so worried that he had changed, that my technique didn't do it for him anymore._

"_It's still amazing…" he had said, seeing my concern. "I just need more…I need to be inside you…please love…"_

_I was the one who had been on the edge of pleading. Seeing Carlisle so ruffled and at the edge of his control had me moving faster and with more grace I knew I possessed within the cramped confines of the car._

"_GOD!...Yesss…missed you…feel…OH FUCK…I had moaned as I had finally lowered myself completely over him. Thanking God Alice had made me wear a skirt._

"_You really are…a naughty little…groupie…All leather jacket and no knickers…" Carlisle had ground out as we sat for moment, allowing each other to adjust to the position and the overwhelming feeling of being joined so deeply again. With a couple of drinks in me, I had felt daring enough to remove them in the ladies room, before I knew Carlisle was there. I knew it wouldn't take long for us both to fall over the edge and Carlisle had began chasing me towards my own climax as he nipped at my painfully hard nipples through the material of my shirt as inbetween laying hot opened kisses along my neck._

"_So tight…so wet."_

"_You…only you make me…like this…" My last words had almost been lost as taking his que from my experimental grind against him, Carlisle had thrust up against me_

"_If that…traffic warden could…see." I had moaned _

"_Jealous…jealous of what's mine." Carlisle had growled as gripping his shoulders I rose off him a little before slamming down again._

"_YOURS!" I had almost screamed as he had hit exactly where I needed._

"_MINE!" he had replied fiercely. Our eyes had met in a bone meltingly hot gaze. I could feel the desperation in Carlisle's kisses and moves._

"_Always." I hissed before claiming his mouth roughly. _

"It's time." Alice whispered.

Glancing at the clock I saw it was two o'clock. Alice and I moved into the main store, which still appeared to be closed for lunch to any one passing. We knew there was a possibility that pedestrians could be injured, but it was quiet and we couldn't do anything that could tip them off.

"Meyerson is about 30 seconds away from you. God he is one brave guy to willingly walk into a store that's about to be robbed…not that your wife isn't Guv." Jake stammered down the line. I heard Jasper chuckle and mutter something that sounded like " you have no idea" and " life…never dull…always surprising me."

Meyerson entered the store and I ushered him behind the counter giving him a hopefully reassuring look when his face paled at the sight of the gun in the holster I was wearing under my jacket.

"We have eyes on the target vehicle." Jake said, no nerves or humour now, just professionalism.

"We're right behind them." Carlisle said suddenly, his voice rough.

"I know." I said softly, hoping he hear my own reply to the unsaid but felt love and support that had crackled through the charged silence that had followed his words.

"Mae, keep your head down, your ass up and…keep my girl safe…" Jasper growled.

When we were writing reports later and looking at the CCTV, we would discover that the time from when the SUV had smashed through the window engine snarling, to the moment it had reversed smashing Carlisle's car and one other flying like bowling pins as it had escaped was actually eight minutes.

It felt a hell of a lot longer.

"GIMME THE FUCKING BAG!" Mitchell yelled as he leapt from the SUV sending a volley of bullets over Alice and Meyerson's head.

"DROP IT MITCHELL!" I had screamed, positioning myself infront of Alice and Meyerson.

"YOU HEARD HER!" Carlisle said appearing round the drivers side of the SUV weapon raised.

Panicked, Mitchell who was trapped in a small space between the counter and the hood of the SUV, unable to get past Carlisle and to safety, raised his gun to fire again, but he didn't. Carlisle and I both lodged bullets in his shoulder and arm. Our attention was diverted from his screams by the sound of Talbot and Jazz fighting at the SUV. The size of the damn car compared to the width of the store gave us little room to move. Carlisle fired a warning shot, but Talbot ducked down along the seats, lashing out with a vicious kick to Jasper's chest which sent him sprawling as he tried to drag him from the car. From my position I hit the windscreen, but it just caused the toughened glass to splinter but not break. Jasper was lucky his leg wasn't smashed as Talbot reversed in a squeal of shrieking breaks and broken glass, sending the smaller cars flying.

"Fucker! My car!" Carlisle growled before giving the order for the police helicopter to take up pursuit. "Suspect is armed and dangerous…units are not to approach unless armed." He barked down his phone.

"I'm dying…I'm…" Mitchell wailed.

"You're not dying." I snapped as he was stretchered away. Although I had the feeling he might wish he was when I saw Jasper's face and then Alice's when she saw Jazz staggering slightly.

"...commit the body of dearly beloved little sister Kelly to the earth…" the priest intoned gravely over the heartbreakingly small coffin.

We were in public to show our respects, be professional, but I couldn't help the little whimper that escaped me as I turned and buried my head in Carlisle's chest. Tears not only for little Kelly were almost blinding and choking me. Carlisle didn't speak, he hadn't since we had arrived at the church. Kelly's father had been meant to carry her coffin, but he had become too overcome with grief causing Kelly's mother, still on crutches, to become hysterical when she saw the undertaker attempting to step in.

"No! NO! She's frightened of strangers…NO…she won't be able to sleep…she'll be frightened. Mr Cullen please…" Kelly's mother had said suddenly grabbing at him, her tone heartbreakingly desperate, her face a mask of raw agony.

In his immaculate black suit and long overcoat and with his blonde hair shining in the weak sunlight, Carlisle had looked like some kind of fallen angel carrying that innocent child to her final rest. Looking into his strained face, his eyes large and overbright with unshed tears, I saw he was an angel with a wound to his heart that would never heal. It was wrong, but it seemed that Kelly's funeral was giving us both a chance to grieve, lay to rest the child the child we never got the chance to know or love.

Tightening his grip on me for a moment, Carlisle kissed the top of my head before pulling away.

"I'll see you later." He said.

"What? No Carlisle…where are you going?" I asked, fisting his coat as I looked up at him.

"Carlisle please."

"I'm sorry…I won't be long." He laid a tender kiss to my forehead before turning and striding away.

"Mae…don't worry…he'll be back…I'll look after him. He has to do this." Jasper said quickly, squeezing my shoulder as he took off after Carlisle.

"Time for good and bad remember." Alice who had come to the funeral alongside Rose and Emmett said as she squeezed my hand.

She was right. Carlisle was still coming to terms with what had happened. I just hated to think of him suffering alone when he didn't have to. Kelly's mother insisted we attend the wake. She and Emmett had shared an intense moment as she had thanked him for taking such good of Kelly. Alice and Jasper were heading away for a long weekend to give Alice some time to try and deal with what happened at the store. Jasper had returned sans Carlisle to clear some of his case load before he left. He assured me he was okay and with Edward. I knew Edward would have to know at some point, but I didn't want him doing anything stupid. Anything that would get himself in trouble or bring Jane back into my life, into Carlisle's life before we were ready.

I had just come out of the bath later that night and was on my way to the kitchen for a glass of wine when there was a knock at the door. I had almost cried with relief when I found Carlisle on the step.

He was a little disheveled, a little drunk and totally exhausted, physically and mentally. His face was almost haunted. I didn't speak, didn't question, I simply took him by the hand and led him upstairs.

"You need to rest." I said finally as I slowly began undressing him.

"Don't leave me Mae…" he almost begged, his eyes frightened as he climbed into bed. I slipped off my robe.

"So beautiful." He sighed as his eyes greedily drank in the sight of me. The love in his eyes made me want to cry with it's honesty and intensity, chasing away any nerves. We lay on our sides facing each other, my fingers mapping Carlisle's face, trying to soothe the deep furrows of stress between his brows.

Carlisle's hands caressed my neck, along my shoulders, skimming the sensitive skin of my breasts and rib cage.

"Carlisle." I breathed. My body arched toward his hands.

"So beautiful…my beautiful brave Mae…so brave…" he moaned, pushing me flat onto the mattress before moving and lying between my legs, which had opened for him and retracing the trail his hands had taken with his mouth.

"Never got the chance to promise…to swear…to honour and worship you…your body…And I do…I swear I do…I will" He said in between kisses, which came to a halt as he took one of nipples in his mouth suckling gently whilst his other hand, gently kneaded and teased my other breast.

"I…I know…" I moaned as my body arched, my hands skimmed and scratched the rippling, tensing muscles of his back, before kneading his ass as I attempted to pull him closer. I wrapped a leg over his hip and he moaned long and low as he moved his length against my wet heat, coating himself in my juices.

"Do you Mae? Do you really know…do you believe…how much I love you?" he breathed his eyes locked on mine.

"Yes…YES!" I almost screamed as he finally slid into me.

"God…missed you…missed this…wonderful…beautiful body…so good…so soft…" Carlisle moaned into my neck between torturously slow, deep thrusts.

"I'm back…back with you…oh god…not leaving…never again…can't…need you…need USSS!" I cried as my walls began to clamp down around him. What had happened in the car had been fuelled by a frantic, desperate, almost animalistic urge to reclaim each other. And we knew we had a lot to face, but this, this was the moment that I could dream of during those long, cold, lonely years. We were allowing our bodies to carry our battered and scared hearts back to their safe havens. With each other.

**AN; Yes, we will find out where Carlisle went after the funeral apart from seeing Edward. But it won't be yet, it's all to do with Lady Jane. Please hit the button.**


	6. Chapter 6

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**You guys are brilliant. Just thought I'd let you know. Please keep doing what you do so well and hit the button. This chapter is M rated for language, violence and possibly disturbing images. Oh and hello to Chrissi, just wanted to say thankyou for your kind reviews.**

**THIERSON POV**

"I should have known! Even cunning little street rats like you get caught eventually… It is so true what they say…you pay peanuts…you get fucking monkey's!" I raged.

"You got two fucking monkey's that pulled you in nearly a million quid!" Talbot snarled leaping to his feet, only to be forced none to gently back into his seat by Felix's firm hand on his shoulder.

"And put me firmly on the radar of the Special Crimes Initiative and the fucking Security Services!"

"How were we to know that you put this Honandez bloke up in a skanky little flat on a housing estate?" Talbot whined as he rubbed his shoulder.

Whilst part of me had been glad that I didn't have to try and find the serious money that would have been required to house Honandez in the style he was used to during his stay, I had been worried about his request for a place that would be the last place that the authorities would look for him. Especially when I saw the place that Felix had found. It was one of those estates where the Government simply dumped the people who made their statistics look bad. Honandez however had loved it, saying it had reminded him of where he had grown up. I had known there were junkies on the estate. But Honandez was no pussy. He just got caught in the carnage created by the two idiots I had hired.

The criminal grapevine had had only good things to say about Mitchell and Talbot. They were no criminal masterminds, but they had what it took, including the luck, to pull off what I needed. Five million pounds in as short a time as possible. God, how I longed for the days when that had been the balance of my savings account.

I could have postponed. But every funeral parade, every plea for money to help treat even more horrifically wounded young boys who were barely old enough to vote for those who sent them ill equipped into a war zone, but who had with the courage of men twice their age gone to fight. I knew I had to act. Stop another mother burying her son, stop another little kid cowering in the bed he had wet in fear, as he listened to his father knock the crap out of his mother, whose face had become that of an enemy soldier. Of course I knew the authorities would be watching me, I would have been seriously pissed off if they weren't. But I had managed to keep my head down for long enough, that my status had been downgraded and I could start to put my plan in action. Use what I had learnt.

"So, Cullen…he's a Lord?"

Talbot nodded sullenly.

"But he aint no pussy posh boy. He's a fucking god copper, hard. I was at a bare knuckle fight when he raided it. It all kicked off, he took down two pissed off fighters by himself before someone wrapped a chair round the back of his head. He was lucky when he hit the floor that someone pulled him clear…else he would have been a gonner. He'd nicked at least half the people in the room at some point…"

"What?" I demanded when Talbot drifted, his face screwed up in what to him must be thought, but to anyone else would look like he was taking a dump.

"Nothin…not sure, thought I saw a familiar face when I was in Hatton Garden…think he was at the fight that night…"

"We haven't got time for you to go skipping down memory lane right now. It was just dumb bloody luck that let you get away from this Cullen for so long…he'll be under pressure connected or not…he'll want answers. And if he's as tough as you say, I'm sure he won't be above leaning on Cauis to get some."

"Caius is sound. He won't talk." Talbot said quickly.

"Forgive me if my confidence in your word is a little…uncertain." I snapped.

Felix and a nervous looking Talbot left soon after that. Talbot deserved a good beating followed by a bullet to the back of the head. Honandez' death had not only bought me unwanted police attention, but had also cost me the arms and the men I needed for my plan. However I had a feeling that I could still need him, so I had to make do with taking pleasure in the fear that strong, silent Felix would invoke in him on the trip to the safe house I had for him. A "studio flat" which really was little more than an overpriced toilet.

"SHIT!" I cursed, flinging the second glass of scotch I hadn't realized I had poured at the fireplace, taking a moment of savage pleasure from the sound of shattering glass. I had six weeks to try and rescue my plan whilst trying to stay away from this Carlisle Cullen.

The internet hadn't shown very much, just a few pictures of him at his father's memorial service at Westminister Abbey, a few lines about him succeeding the title. There was a bit about a broken engagement, but it had been put down to his career, the woman a "civilian" or none titled woman from the States had gone home never to be seen again. Career wise, there had been a little interest when he had been unveiled as the MET's youngest Detective Chief Superintendant and the head of the SCI, but it seemed that Cullen wasn't one who enjoyed the easy life his rank and connections could have given him. He had kept his head down and was as Talbot said, a good copper, a hard man who got results without needing to parade infront of TV cameras and talk about it. Bribery wasn't an option, no I would have to try and find something else to slow Cullen down.

**C POV**

_DEC-2003_

"_What do you mean she's gone?" I had demanded._

"_She's gone…all her things are still at the house, but she…she's gone…no note…nothing…oh Carlisle…I'm soo sorry." Jane had sobbed sniffing dramatically into her handkerchief, I knew now of course that those tears were of pure joy. I'm surprised the twisted bitch had had the control to walk sedately down the aisle towards me in the church that morning. She must have wanted to sprint, scream with delight at what she had, with more than a little help from me, achieved. But there were standards to uphold infront of a hundred of her closest society friends that filled the church. And this was her big moment, she would have savoured every step, every curious glance and whisper as she glided past._

"_Voicemail." Jasper had said bursting back into the churches vestry where my mother had ushered me, Edward, Jasper and my Dad. Emmett had volunteered to run interference with the concerned-nosy guests._

"_This doesn't make sense? Why? Why would she do this?" Mae had come down to Harrowview a week before the wedding with Alice, whilst I had stayed in town to finish up some work that would allow me to add an extra week to our honeymoon. I had arrived two days previously and although we hadn't seen much of each other, she had sounded happy, excited in our long phone calls. I knew now that that it was about then she had began to become excited about the baby, realize that we would…could have made it work._

"_I don't know son…really I don't, I know we've had our differences…but I have really been trying." Jane had simpered. My Dad and Edward had barely managed to conceal their snorts of distain. They had tried to warn me. Dad had told me he had found Mae crying. Edward had told me that when he had asked Jane why she hadn't put Grandma Cullen's necklace in the safe, she had said that it wouldn't be down here long enough to be stolen. Could it have been any clearer? _

_I had run from the church, needing to see for myself, thinking that I was the detective I would find her, or at least some clue that would explain. I was in a full morning suit, waistcoat, long tail coat, dress shoes that had slipped all over the gravel and damp ground._

"_Carlisle get in." my Dad had called over through the window of his small sports car which he had pulled alongside me as I ran. _

"_Can't I…" I had said helplessly, waving in the general direction of the house._

"_You'll get there quicker in the car…get in." Dad had said in that firm but kind fatherly tone that I missed so damn much._

"_MAE! MAE! WHERE ARE YOU? ANSWER ME? PLEEEAASSSE…"I had screamed as I raced into the house. But this time instead of silence and empty rooms…I heard crying. A child crying._

**ESME POV**

"Carlisle…Carlisle…I'm here love…I'm right beside you…wake up…you're dreaming…"I said groggily as Carlisle's frantic shouts and flailing limbs woke me.

"MAE! DON"T LEAVE ME…PLEEASSE."

I quickly switched on the lamp before I knelt up and gripped his sweat soaked shoulders. His terrified eyes snapped open, but it took a long moment for him to focus and realize where he was.

"Mae?" he breathed. Uncertain, frightened

"Yes love…I'm here…right here…" I said my hands stroking his face, his damp hair. His eyes began to fill with relief, love, wonder and then he smiled. A heartbreakingly tender and vulnerable smile which made me want to cry.

"You're really here."

I nodded smiling softly. "I'm not going anywhere…" I said fiercely laying a hand over his pounding heart.

"I'm sorry." He whispered after a long moment of just looking at me. He reached up and cupped my cheek

"Don't be…we're working through some pretty heavy stuff…and you haven't heard me in full nightmare mode yet." I said grimly. My ex Paul had frequently, the poor man still had the scars from where I had lashed out in my sleep and broken his nose.

"MAE? Carlisle? You okay?" Emmett of all people demanded through the door suddenly.

"Yeah Em…it was just a bad dream…Em what are you doing here?" I had asked confused and trying not to laugh as I saw Carlisle begin to blush and cover his face with a pillow.

"That's what I'd like to know?" came Jasper's sleepy voice in the hall.

"Sorry honey…did I forget to tell you I've decided to start running a high class house of ill repute?" Alice said with a laugh that became a yawn.

"'S long as they leave the cash on the dresser on the way out…don't take cash or checks…not since some Lord I know wrote me one that bounced all the way to the bank." Jasper growled sleepily his voice fading as he headed back to bed.

"Writing bad checks huh? Well they do say that all the best policemen do have natural criminal tendencies." I teased, trying to distract him from the embarrassment and stress that was still clearly visible on his face.

"It was once…when I was seventeen…didn't know the exchange rate…you can talk though…you with your secret life as a high class call girl." He grinned, gratitude in his eyes as he realized what I was trying to do.

I tweaked his nipple roughly in a fit of mock annoyance. I would so be having words with Alice and Jasper!

"Oww! I don't remember asking for any kinky stuff." He huffed rubbing his chest.

"You didn't…but I figure I only have about an hour to show you…" I began to say in between kisses to his chest " that I am worth every penny of my very expensive…fee…" I said taking the nipple I had tweaked into my mouth.

"An hour…? He hissed, his hands twisting in my hair. It was still early. I looked up resting my chin on his chest.

"It takes a long time to make a gorgeous girl like Rose look so plain."

Rosie was a beautiful woman, but she felt that her looks plus her slight disability only held her back. So whilst she couldn't do anything about one, she could and did about the other, dressing smartly but very plainly. It only added to her beauty. But it wasn't Rosie Carlisle had to fight for the shower a little later, it was Emmett who emerged from Rosie's room wearing a comically small towel for a man his size. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn that Alice had deliberately chosen now to remodel the guests bathrooms. The only en-suite in use was hers and Jasper's. Rose and I and now the boys were sharing the main one. For two men that had probably seen each other in the showers after their five aside soccer, they looked adorably embarrassed and flushed.

"Boss…"

"Emmett…"

"After you…"

"No it's fine…after you…you are the boss…" Emmett said nervously.

"Not here…go on I insist."

"I thought you really had to pee." I hissed at Carlisle as he pushed past where I was standing in my bedroom doorway.

"I do…" he hissed back looking genuinely pained. I bit down hard on my lip to try and hide my laughter.

Sometimes those gentlemanly manners of his were more trouble than they were worth. Thankfully however Emmett was as on edge as Carlisle and was in and out of the shower pretty quickly. Hungry I had come downstairs to wait for my turn. Only to almost intrude on Rosie and Emmett.

"I've seen and heard him have worse…but not for a long time." I heard Emmett say. I knew it was wrong, but I paused and listened.

"Mae's had some bad ones too. She got hurt after her cover was blown on an op, she didn't have anyone else and I hated to think of her on her own, so she came to stay with me…there's some scary shit going on in their heads." Rose said sagely over the rattle of pans and crockery.

If only she knew. I had filled Rose in on some of the details…but I still couldn't share them all. I was worried enough about Edward knowing. It had been just over a week since the funeral and whilst I hadn't pushed Carlisle on where he had gone after the funeral, he had told me that he had told Edward the details, that not only had he needed to share the horror running through his head with someone, he also needed Edward's help in dealing with Jane. I…we would have to face and deal with Jane, but I couldn't, didn't have enough in me to do that at the moment and deal with work and Carlisle and I's fledgling reunion.

"I guess it's true…emotional scars do take longer to heal than physical ones." Rose mused. "Although, Carlisle does have quite a few of the physical ones too." Rose said. She was right, I had whilst in the course of my thorough investigation of Carlisle's body, found several large and ugly looking scars that hadn't been there before.

"You noticed." Emmett growled, the jealousy in his voice clear even to Rose.

"The guy was a few inches infront of me topless..." she huffed. Rose had come to the door with Emmett this morning as well, making us look like good little housewives seeing our husbands off to work. A pang of pain swept through me. "But…my interest was purely professional…" Rose said her voice dropping, becoming more seductive. "I spotted a knife wound…glass…gun…" My heart began clenching painfully in my chest as I thought of how easily Carlisle and I could never have had the chance to start again. Seven years was a lifetime in our job.

"The spiral on his shoulder blade was me…" Emmett huffed. I should leave this was becoming a personal moment. Rose had been almost painfully shy when I first met her, it had taken awhile, but we had helped each other gain in confidence and there was a part of me which felt a sort of pride as I heard her having the confidence to try and talk a pouting Emmett round with such guile. But I had been curious about that scar myself.

"Really…?" she breathed sounding genuinely interested as well as surprised. There was a sound of a chair scraping back and a little squeak from Rose as I guessed Emmett pulled her closer.

"When Mae left…after…when Carlisle wasn't trying to kill himself with work, he hit the booze quite hard…"

"That's a bit cliché for Carlisle isn't it?" Rose remarked.

"Why? He's a bloke…a normal bloke. When we're hurt especially emotionally, we don't deal with it the way you girls do. We'll do anything, use anything to avoid the pain…Anyway Jasper Edward and I had joined him for a session…but he was more on edge than normal. He was pretty gone but he wasn't wasted, he was keyed up…in a dangerous mood. We had to walk home over one of the bridges…Carlisle leapt up onto the edge, started pissing around doing his tightrope act. We humoured him, but when he started talking about Mae…how much he loved her…how none of it mattered anymore without her."

My nails were digging into my palms and my heart thumping painfully in my chest.

"Edward was pissed in the drunk sense, but he was also pissed off. He'd been trying to tell Carlisle for ages that Mae wasn't happy, that their old hag of mother was up to something. Carlisle had figured out he was right…but too late. Edward and Carlisle love each other but…there's stuff there…"

"Mae told me that there Mom could have given Joan Crawford a run for her money." Rose remarked

Emmett must have looked confused

"You know the movie Mommy Dearest…Joan Crawford the old Hollywood actress adopted a couple of kids and is meant to have beaten and traumatized them mentally and physically…depending on which kids story you buy." Rose explained.

"Fascinating…can I finish my story?" Emmett asked dryly.

"As long as it's sometime today babe…I need a shower and some food…you see I have this really demanding boss." There was squealing as Emmett began to tickle her.

"…Trouble with you Yanks…always need things done so damn fast." Emmett growled.

"Damn straight, we don't like wasting time…and you've got yourself a real life daughter of Uncle Sam…born on the fourth of July." Rose said.

"Really…your birthday…do you think you'll be here?" Emmett asked softly, his tone pained.

"I don't know…I really hope so." Rose replied. Her tone soft but as anxious as his. The silence that followed was loaded with so much I felt awful for eaves dropping, but I needed to know how the story ended.

"So where was I?" Emmett asked suddenly, his voice overbright as he attempted not to think about the future. "Oh yeah, Carlisle on the ledge and Edward telling him to jump."

"He didn't!" Rose squeaked.

I sank back down onto the stairs when I felt my knees shake in shock.

"More than once…it got nasty. Not even Jasper could calm things…then Carlisle…he only went and fucking jumped." There was more to the edge in Emmett's tone than concern for his friend, but all I could think about was Carlisle and Edward almost coming to blows over me, what I had done. I bit down on hard on my fist as I tried to control the scream of anger that was bubbling in my chest as I thought about how even with me gone, that evil old hag had continued to manipulate and torture the two sons she didn't deserve, two brothers who needed each others love and support in so many ways thanks to her abuse.

"Well he's obviously here."

"They were painting the bridge and the workman's cradle was hanging over the edge…not that we saw that…till it was too late. Well when we pulled him up…I hit him…almost put him through the metal paneling. That's where the spiral scar comes from, the paneling on the bridge." Emmett finished, his voice rough with emotions I didn't have to chance to analyzing before I saw Carlisle's legs appear either side of mine and felt his hands on my shoulders.

"People who listen at doors." Carlisle said quietly.

"Hear things about someone they love that…makes me unsure whether to hug you or hit you. Why?" I hissed turning to look at him.

"You were gone…that was agony…but realizing that Edward's constant taunting that my…weakness, stupidity could have been a large part of the reason why you left was right…I just flipped. It was stupid…thoughtless, especially in front of Emmett. One good thing came out of it though…" he mused "Edward and I became closer…laid a few old ghosts to rest…he realized I wasn't perfect… how screwed up she'd made me…that I needed him."

"And now he knows the whole story?" I whispered. The last thing I would want would be to reopen the gulf between Carlisle and Edward. Let Jane's taunts that I would ruin Carlisle's life be true.

Carlisle chuckled humourlessly.

"He told me what I already know…I don't deserve you. And he told me in no uncertain terms that if I fuck up again, he will personally chuck me off a bridge with no safety net."

**C POV**

"The other coppers already done all this." Caius Mitchell moaned.

"Well…with a special case like you…we like to be especially thorough…now please…" I said stiffly indicating he should undress.

With a sneer he lifted his bad arm which was in a sling. Mae and I had both shot him, but they had been clean through and through wounds that had left only slight muscle damage.

"Let me help you." Emmett said softly, but with a tone of menace that only added to the fear that Mitchell was clearly feeling as he saw Emmett's hulking shape emerge from the dark shadows of the corner of the lab. I saw that Mitchell was desperately trying not to give Emmett or me the satisfaction of seeing how much pain he was in as Emmett "helped" him undress. Once Caius was naked and standing on a sterile sheet to catch any falling hairs or skin, Emmett began moving around him taking samples.

"The pelvis is actually made up of three bones you know? The illium, the ischium and the pubis…open…" Emmett snapped stopping just short of shoving his fist into Mitchell's mouth along with the long cotton swab he was using. "As people grow, these bones and the muscles that connect them strengthen… forms a bowl like shape that holds some of your organs, doesn't stop it breaking, or being serious…but as an adult…or even a teenager, that extra strength gives you more of a chance if you suffer a traumatic injury…such as being hit by a speeding car."

Emmett wasn't shouting, his voice was low, calm and almost conversational. It was truly chilling.

"A three year old however…yes their bones are more flexible not being fully strengthened and that can help them survive the impact…maybe even start healing quicker…if, IF that is…they survive the trauma that the blood loss causes their bodies."

"OW! FUCK! THAT HURTS…YOU'VE DRAWN BLOOD!" Mitchell wailed ripping his good hand away from Emmett and the long instrument he was using to take scrapings from beneath Mitchell's finger nails.

"Diddums." Emmett sneered leaning into Mitchell's face.

"Em…" I warned reluctantly.

Emmett pulled back.

"Kelly, that's the name of the little girl you hit…and killed…in case you were wondering." Emmett said in a tone that dared Mitchell to speak or argue. "She was a tough little thing…she survived all that…but she couldn't…her poor little body couldn't handle the damage that was caused to her bowel…the infection ravaged her tiny little body until finally…her poor little heart just gave out…stopped…" Emmett snarled viciously flicking the skin over Mitchell's heart, with a look in his eyes which made clear to Mitchell how much he wished he could do the same to him.

"Em…" Rose began as she came into the room her eyes on the file in her hand. Noticing the silence she looked up but didn't blush, merely gave Mitchell a chilling glare.

"Sorry, I thought you'd finished the pest control."

Emmett stepped away to deal with whatever Rose had bought him in the file. But Rose merely stood and stared Mitchell down.

"Liking what you see darling?" Mitchell sneered with a lascivious grin. Emmett spun round making to step forward, I moved to block him, but there was no need.

"Sorry…was there actually something to see?" Rose asked innocently peering towards Mitchells groin. I had to turn away to compose myself, but I still heard Emmett mutter "that's my girl."

"Where were we…oh yes." Emmett said with an evil grin. "I believe that you did sustain another open wound during your little shopping expedition. A laceration that required four stitches and a dressing that needs changing…right about now."

Even I winced at the loud ominous sound of the rubber glove that Emmett snapped into place.

We had enough evidence and cause to hold Mitchell under an incognito order. This meant that we could hold and interrogate him for 14 days without legal representation and all the procedures and rules that that entailed. The Security Services had tried and failed to get him to talk, it was now our turn. I knew that I faced many long and painful arguments with my conscience over the very nature of incognito orders and what was legally allowed to happen during the 14 days they lasted.

"Ohh, this is going to be sweet…" Leah crowed to the small group that were gathering in the doorway of the two way mirror room. They hadn't noticed Mae and I arrive."First the guy has the shit scared out of him by Emmett…now he's going to get what's left of his ass kicked by Cullen and Mae."

"I sweated him for three hours…not a squeak." Jake huffed. Jake was young, but he had proved himself a very skilled interrogater.

"That's because you were sticking to the rule book Jake…Cullen and Mae…well they kinda wrote their own." Leah said giving him an encouraging squeeze on the arm. It took a moment for Leah and Jake to notice how quiet the people who had been agreeing with Leah or asking curious questions had gone.

"Which is one that I wouldn't encourage Jake to read to closely…he's skilled enough as it is." I said.

"Ye..yes sir…it's just you and Agent Marshall…you get results…" Leah stammered.

"No pressure then." Mae remarked with a grin at Leah.

"How much is in the pot?" I asked.

"What? What pot?" Jake said trying and failing to look innocent.

"The pot which holds the bets you lot and I suspect several others have placed on whether DCS Cullen and I get Mitchell to talk." Mae replied, her face now serious unreadable.

"Hundred and fifty quid." Leah said quietly

"Is that all?" I huffed.

"It has been awhile." Mae replied with a small grin.

And of course, they didn't know the drastic last resort we had planned. Which was something that if we were forced to use it, I wouldn't feel like celebrating.

"Sir before you go…there have been a few calls for Inspector Whitlock. I've been taking messages, but it's Henry Fordham, our barrister in the Jenkins Case…he's getting a bit angsty. I know the Inspector's been with his wife…" Jasper had been sticking close to home and finishing earlier than normal since the raid. Alice had been badly shaken, but was coming through it a lot better than we had feared. Especially when she found out that the Criminal Injuries Board and her insurance were going to pay out and let her remodel the store. It took a lot to flare Jasper's temper into life, but Alice was one sure trigger. Together they were dealing with it, but I knew he needed to feel like he was doing something more…making Mitchell face some sort of justice…that unfortunately would probably be denied officially. This was why I had asked him to be part of Mae and I's last resort. There was a big part of me that hoped it wouldn't come to it…but…

Mae and I equaled Jake's three hour session, but all we got was a series of "no comments" snide remarks and laughter. We had no choice. Mae and I were both staring at Mitchell and not each other, but I knew that the slight nod of my head was all she needed to see.

"So…I guess the raid on the crack house was your idea." Mae said suddenly, breaking the silence. Mitchell's eyes flashed briefly, but I knew we had hit home.

"I think you're giving him a bit too much credit." I sneered.

"No…Caius here, he knows all about crack houses, drugs dens…" Mae said. Mitchell began to squirm.

"Is that so?" I asked lightly.

"Oh yeah, they were his own personal daycare…what with Mommy, Daddy and big brother Andy being smack heads…" Mae taunted.

"Bitch!" Mitchell roared flinging himself forward towards her. I had his good arm bent behind his back and his head slammed onto the table in seconds.

"Unless you want me to break it forcing you to have another visit from Doctor McCarty…calm the fuck down." I hissed in his ear flexing his arm.

I glanced at Mae, expecting her to look pissed off. I knew she could handle herself, I would have done it for any colleague…but anyone else wouldn't have had to ask me to let go. Mae touched my arm briefly and shook her head. She was shocked, but I swore I could see gratitude and love there.

"It's his public schooling…gets rather annoyed if someone disrespects a lady." Mae said sitting back down.

Rather annoyed? I wanted to rip the bastard apart!

"I still aint talking…you can try all the head shrinking bollocks you want…I aint talking…" Mitchell stammered.

"We've kind of figured that out. It's a shame…that we couldn't do this…nicely." Mae sighed sadly. I still couldn't trust myself to speak or move from my seat, where my balled fists were in my lap.

The door opened admitting Jasper. His face an unreadable mask, but his tensed body telling all that needed to be said.

"Is it his turn now? Mitchell sneered. He was still shaken and Mae's words were causing his eyes to flit frantically around the room, but it had been inbred in him that you never show weakness, especially infront of the police.

"Inspector Whitlock will be joining us yes…but we won't be leaving you alone with him…we couldn't guarantee your safety." I said, enjoying the confusion and terror flitting through his eyes.

"You see…the jewellery store you raided…it belonged to his wife." Mae said quietly. It took a minute for Mitchell to take in what Mae had said. Suddenly Mitchell was on his feet and trying in vain to get round Jasper to the relative safety of the door.

I caught him easily and had him in his earlier position head slammed against the table.

"Talk to us Caius…tell us what we need to know…why should you carry all this shit by yourself?" Mae urged leaning down to talk to him.

"Go fuck yourself." He spat in both senses of the word.

"Talk about shit for brains…" Jasper sneered.

"We gave you the chance Caius…you had every chance…but now we are going to have to make you talk?" Mae said acidly wiping the gob of phlegm from her face with the back of her sleeve.

"Oh yeah? I've taken beatings before." Caius sneered.

"Please…we've come on a bit since then." I huffed.

Caius let out a nasty laugh.

"What then? The Yank gonna give me some deep breathing lessons?"

"Waterboarding? That's illegal. You're not worth that much effort…we're keeping it simple. What got your mum and Dad talking Caius? Was it when they needed a hit? They'd do anything then wouldn't they Caius, when they're bodies were spasming with pain, they'd do or say anything for the next shot." Mae crooned in a chillingly sweet tone.

"I…I aint no junkie…" Caius snapped, his frightened tone laced with disgust as he began to struggle beneath me. Mae lowered her face to his once more. Pride, admiration and as inappropriate as it was lust were coursing through me as I watched her.

"No you're not…you were the one where the one child who said no to drugs…well a few days with us on the really good stuff we have access to and you'll be saying Oh Yes." Mae said, standing aside to let Caius see Jasper looming over him with what he wasn't to know was an empty hypodermic needle.

"Okay! Okay…what do you want to know?" Mitchell screamed.

Mae Jasper and I emerged into the squad room to find the team applauding. There were lots of times I loved my job and the buzz that came from cracking a tough criminal but and I could see the same thought in Mae's eyes as she slumped behind her desk, this was not one of those times.

**AN; Okay, please remember when reading Emmett's treatment of Caius and the interrogation…this is FICTION. I am allowed to do what so many others have and take a few liberties. I know I'm probably being paranoid.**

**What happens when Theirson who is a desperate man meets Lady Jane-a woman with a nasty secret that she doesn't know is out? Answer next chapter.**

**Oh yes. Emmett and Carlisle are going to need new assistants next chapter-just for a little bit don't panic! Is anyone interested in taking the jobs on?**


	7. Chapter 7

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT.**

**Okay, so now it's officially official. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! Someone has nominated this story for a "Bring Me To Life Award" in the Dr McDreamy-Best Carlisle Category! Thankyou! So very much it really means a lot. Although I think I may have lost a few votes by posting the WRONG draft of this chapter and traumatizing you all. There is danger but not to Mae-not yet, she will face danger but not yet. All I can say is that it all comes in a fiery final face off with Lady Jane. A lot of this chapter is the same but there are changes that I need you to read for Chap 8 to make sense. Thanks and sorry again.**

_**2-3 weeks after Chap 6**_

**JASPER POV**

"….Leah…LEAH, I haven't got time for your innocent act now…I need you to reach over and do whatever the hell you have to do to wake Jake…then I need the two of you in the office…and tell Jake yes, I do know what fucking time it is…" I growled as I heard the young Detective Constable grumbling sleepily in the background. "You have half an hour…do not make me have to call again." I barked as I slammed the phone down.

I had been pulled from my bed an hour ago by the Duty Uniformed Inspector of the station. A patrol had picked up Tommy Eaves, a known burglar loitering outside some exclusive houses, carrying his own set of "keys." Tommy is a pretty laid back character who accepts getting caught as an "occupational hazard". Tonight though, he had been a nervous wreck who had literally thrown himself into the back of the patrol car. Arriving at the station, he had began screaming to see me, rambling about Carlisle being in danger. The last I'd seen of Carlisle, he'd been plowing through a pile of paper work, doing anything to put off going home and the nightmares and restless sleep that plagued him once again now that Mae was gone.

Mae had called earlier to say that she had finally been cleared to rejoin the team and that her official transfer to the London office had been approved, but it had been damn close and the fear that Jane would indeed separate them again had shaken them both.

According to Tommy, he had seen Carlisle having the crap kicked out of him in one of the houses he had been casing. I had called Carlisle repeatedly, checked the apartment, Edward everyone I could think of, but as I gazed at Carlisle's empty chair and the scribbled address on the pad…it was sickeningly clear that Tommy had not been lying…Carlisle really was in trouble…serious trouble

**C POV**

"_**Where we going man?"**_

"_**Dunno…maybe we'll go see Perry and T in Brighton, motorway is quiet…we can floor it…really give those bloody speed cameras somefing to look at…"**_

Okay Carlisle…think…try and make your aching fucking head focus! I screamed at myself. I was in the trunk of a car, being driven by two very young, very stoned men who would be lucky to find their own asses with both hands and a map never mind Brighton the state they were in. I didn't want to think about what would happen if we really did make it to an open stretch of motorway and they got to put their foot down

and open up, if I was right about the make of the car, a very powerful engine.

And of course, it had to be tonight that the MET decided to prove the saying "there's never a policeman around when you need one" true! I kicked out as hard as my cramped legs would allow against the side of the car, more out of frustration than any belief that I would be heard. The car was moving too fast, even though we were in a built up area, but…if I hadn't been unconscious too long…it was still the early hours of the morning and cost cutting measures meant that patrols during the "dead hours" had been severely reduced.

Everyone joked about me being some sort of tough "Super cop". Well that was a bloody joke I thought bitterly. I was hurt and terrified. Felix's man had given me a hell of a pounding, he hadn't come away from our fight without a few broken bones, his nose had made a satisfying crunching sound beneath my fist, cuts and bruises that were going to make sure he remembered me for quite awhile to come. But I hadn't been sharp enough, had been sloppy…had been emotional and when you are fighting for your life, emotion is the last thing you need. Yes you can use the boost it gives your fight or flight hormones, adrenaline and strength, but when you are actually fighting…you need to be thinking of your moves, watching and anticipating your opponents moves, not thinking about how angry, how frightened you were that your evil and twisted mother had once again come between you and the woman you adored.

Mae. My beautiful brave Mae.

She had found the courage to give us a second chance, which I had grabbed with both hands desperate to stop Jane's grip on our past…on me, choking the life out of our future. I had promised Mae…I would be by her side, that there would be no more having to fight alone. But just like poor little Kelly who had promised to look after and protect from the men who had hurt her, I failed, beaten by Jane the horror from my past gaining a new strength a new hold over us by joining forces with Christian Theirson, the nightmare from our present.

At two twenty five am on June 12th armed not only with handguns and an AK47, but also the alarm codes for the secure storage areas where Edward had stored hunting and shooting equipment for the shoots and hunts he ran alongside other initiatives to raise the money needed for the upkeep of Harroview from corporate money rather than rents from the farmers in the area. Four two men teams had driven onto Harrowview, right up the doors of the storage area and emptied it. The storage had been full of heavy duty warzone ready weapons. Edward had allowed Garrett Armstrong a very good friend of his who had been a medic with the SAS until his recent retirement store the weapons he and a partner would be using in their new warzone security business.

"_So you have no idea Captain Cullen how the plans for the secure storage areas…which were downloaded from emails sent from your laptop to Garrett Armstrong came to be in the possession of the two raiders we captured?" the unknown Spook who was enjoying his job a little too much had demanded of a shocked Edward._

"_My lap top was stolen from my car…I reported it…" Edward had said patiently for the umpteenth time. He was a medic, but he was also a soldier who had been trained and excelled as it turned out, in interrogation and how to with stand it. He had as he often remarked, had a lot of practice._

_Edward had been seven when Jane had decided to treat him and take him to London to see the sights including seeing my Dad at the State opening of the House of Lords. I had had bad flu at the time and couldn't go, so Edward had called me both nights to fill me in on everything he had seen and done. Jane had tried to pit us against each other and I was jealous of how close Edward and my Dad were, but I really did and still do love Edward. As annoying bratty little brother's go, he is the best. Edward had received an instant camera for his recent birthday and he had loved it, taking odd angled pictures of everything, London was no different. I still had some of the photo's he had taken for me that trip…before…_

_One thing England does so well is pomp and circumstance and the parade through Parliament Square by the Lords in their red and white ermine cloaks is something that just screams to be photographed, especially by an excited seven year old who had just seen the father he adored right near the front of the parade. According to be my Dad, Edward had squeezed to the front of the gathered spectators calling and waving loudly to him, before beginning to snap away like a demon with his camera at not only Dad, but anyone else nearby. The other Lords, spectators and even the police on guard had thought it was funny and sweet all of them giving him warm smiles and winks as they passed by. Jane however had been mortified._

_Edward would still not tell me what she had said to him that day, all I noticed was that his body would shudder and he would unconsciously grip his left wrist. On the day of my investiture as the new Lord Cullen, I had gotten lost going from the main chamber to the office that was Dad's and was now mine. Edward had known exactly how to get there. Which I had found strange as Dad only went there when he had to and Edward never went there._

"_I sat through all three and a half hours of the ceremony with her giving me death glares. When it was over, I really needed to pee, she dragged me to a staff toilet that was situated in a really obscure part of the House Of Lords…I started to dribble in my pants I was so desperate…there wasn't a big stain…" he had said with an almost childish plea for understanding when we were sat together later getting very drunk. "But she started ranting that I was a disgrace, that she was ashamed to be seen with me, admit to people that she was my mother. When I came out of the bathroom, she was gone. The bitch had gone and left me alone in an obscure part of the House of freaking Lords. There were no staff about…took me nearly two hours to find my way to Dad's office…during the one other time he bought me here with him…I made sure I figured out how to get to him from all possible directions…just in case…" he had slurred his voice rough, his green eyes large and bright with unshed tears._

_Edward could swing between being outgoing and very withdrawn and my Dad, Sue and later I tried everything we could think of to draw him out when he became too quiet. Edward would have loved to have been a pilot, but he had problems with his ears when he was younger. That didn't stop him, dad and me on occasion flying remote control model planes. Edward had known he shouldn't fly his plane in the house. But the long gallery that ran along the top of the main entrance hall and dining room was a perfect runway. The picture he had ripped when he had lost control of the plane was hidden away in a corner and not even expensive or important, but Edward knew that my mother would find out and when she did… He stayed silent, denying everything. Sue had gladly taken the blame knowing exactly what Jane was like, but Jane would not be put off of her persecution of Edward. She tried nice, she tried shouting, the crazy bitch even woke him up at nearly midnight to start questioning him. My attempts to help him had earned me a slap and a week of the silent treatment. She cracked him in the end. Harrowview due to its age had several priest holes and secret spaces where persecuted priests had hidden. Edward had found a space in the gap between the heavy old walls of the library, hidden behind a fake panel of books. It is a tiny space when you look at it now, but it was perfect for Edward, who had not really started growing in height until he was twelve or thirteen. The only thing was you had to leave the door propped open slightly as the hinge was a bit weak and needed repairing._

_I had entered the library to see Jane sat on a chair by the closed panel door listening to Edward screaming and banging for help._

"_Now Edward dear, I wouldn't scream so much if I were you…there is only a limited amount of air in those little rooms and I want you to have plenty of air in your lungs when you tell me exactly what happened to my painting."_

_Edward still won't tell me how long he was in there before I came in and screamed at Jane to let him out, but it was seeing her blatant disregard for his welfare both physical and mental- I had heard him sobbing later that night, he had flung himself into my arms asking me pitifully "What did I do wrong Carlisle? Why does she hate me so much? What did I do? That finally at the age of sixteen had opened my eyes to my mother, just not far enough! I was like the wife of a serial killer that must have seen some signs that things weren't right, but either really didn't know what they meant, or chose to ignore them. With Edward and Mae, I had done both. Which had cost both me and them more than we could have ever thought possible._

_Caius Mitchell had told us everything he knew. Theirson was planning something which needed some serious weaponry but also men who knew how to use these weapons properly in a "military situation", not mindless thugs. MI5, 6 and the SCI had began trying to trace the whereabouts of any known mercenaries as well as any disgruntled , disenchanted soldiers that the army top brass were worried about. Mae covering the American side. Theirson had obviously been aiming for the top by getting in contact with Honandez who had a very thick little black book of men who were willing to use the guns he sold…for the right price. But Honandez was gone and the underworld military community were understandably wary of getting involved with Thierson now he was the centre of so much attention. So he had been trying to get together the biggest bankroll he could to try and deal with some more less reputable dealers. Mitchell and Talbot's mistakes however, meant that he couldn't even do that, so he had become desperate. That in itself rose questions about his time line. _

_Edward's car had been broken into when he had been staying with one of his latest girlfriends. He had arrived for Sunday dinner at mine grousing that "I thought your reputation would have preceded me brother mine…given me some sort of dispensation with the criminal underworld". But if the two raiders we had caught, a little too easily, had downloaded plans from Edward's lap top, that meant that either whoever had stolen it had known enough to give it or sell it to Theirson,or Theirson had been following Edward…me…Mae…Alice…she had said more than once that she thought that she was being watched, but even Jasper had put that down to the nerves that she was still suffering since the raid. Alice would take great delight in making us feel guilty for doubting her later._

_That still didn't explain how Theirson had got hold of the codes. Both Edward and Garrett swore they had never e-mailed or written them down. Edward had seen some truly terrible things during his many tours of the warzones and working in the few rehab facilities for injured soldiers in England, as had Garrett, but neither would do something to dishonor all the men and women who had risked their lives by helping Theirson commit some sort of atrocity. Three hours later the Spooks realized that and Edward and Garrett were released, but informed none to subtley that they were going to be kept under close scrutiny._

_Mae and I had pushed the team hard, trying to find out how the hell Theirson had got hold of Edward's lap top and its contents. We were chasing every lead, investigating every theory however crazy they seemed. But it was one of those crazy ideas that actually gave us a small lead. Alice had rebuilt her store and held a champagne reception for the grand reopening. As Alice was now designing jewelery for some famous people including Bella Swan, who wore one of her necklaces to a premiere of one of her earlier movies a couple of weeks ago and who at Emmett's invitation had come to the party, a magazine had covered the launch taking lots of pictures….which had revealed Felix, Theirson's right hand man drinking champagne. _

_It was a tenuous link, but the Spooks out of desperation were piling the pressure on Edward, Garrett and me. Interviewing Felix officially had only gotten us the "respectable businessman" speech. Felix was officially Vice President of TE DATA, Theirson's failing chain of internet café's, engineers and web site designers._

"_I always thought forgetting your wedding anniversary was the crime Mr Cullen…not remembering and treating the wife to some nice jewellery. She has always been a fan of Mrs Whitlock's designs…she was very worried that Mrs Whitlock…Alice is it…would be frightened off after what happened to her…shocking business…" he had innocently. He was good, Alice and Jasper's connection was not widely known._

_We had nothing until that night ten days ago_

_Mae and I had been working out in the gym I had at home. She was on the cross trainer whilst I was lifting weights…more than she had seen me lift before. Seven years of anger and frustration had given me plenty of time to work up to it, to take some sort of pleasure from the burn in my muscles._

"_Very impressive…" she had purred finishing her own set and coming to stand astride me as I lay back on the bench._

"_Had to do something to relieve the frustration and anger." I had said regretted the words almost as soon as I'd said them. But surprisingly, there was only a brief flash of pain in her eyes._

"_I took up street fighting…only problem was I kept wanting my workout partners to dress up as rich old women." She said bitterly. "Anyway…I'm sure you weren't a monk Carlisle….and there was Angie…" Mae's tone hadn't been confrontational, she had been matter of fact…but I could see a very real flash of jealousy in her eyes which had gone straight to my groin. Whilst I had met Mae's ex Paul, she hadn't met Angie._

"_It was different…not better…not worse…different…not so intense…or spontaneous." I had said in reply to her unasked question. Mae as I, could be insecure. I had been breathing heavily as I tried to get my breath after replacing the weight over my head whilst trying to control myself at the sight of Mae's toned body encased in close fitting work out wear, shining with sweat._

"_So you still like a little spontaneity..?" she breathed leaning over me and gripping the bar above my head. My hand had risen without me realizing it to trace with my finger the path a bead of sweat was taking down her neck before finally coming to rest in the valley between her breasts, which I could clearly see and reach thanks to her angle and the cut of her top. I nodded my head, my eyes and rapidly increasing arousal telling her my answer better than any words I could think of._

"_So you wouldn't mind then if I were to take you…ride you right here…right now..?" she had hissed, her eyes widening slightly as my thumb had grazed her hard nipple._

_And she had, hard and fast bringing me to one of the most powerful orgasm's I think I had ever had. Angie had been a passionate woman like Mae, but I never felt we had the trust, the level of intimacy that Mae and I had, which had allowed Mae and I not only to make very tender and soft love, but also let go our more basic animalistic needs. I knew a lot of that was because I would not let Angie into my heart and head fully. _

_A now naked Mae had been lying slumped forward over my own naked form, peppering my face and jaw with kisses when the door bell had rung continuously. Not the entry phone, but the actual door bell. Dressing quickly, I had stormed…on slightly rubbery legs to see who the hell it was and how the hell they had gotten in past the so called security at the front desk._

"_Sue!" I had stammered in shock when I opened the door to see Sue Harper, Edward and I's former nanny but eternal mother figure and friend who had later become Harrowviews housekeeper standing nervously on the doorstep. Sue very rarely came up to London, usually never by herself and never at ten thirty at night. It was then that Edward had appeared out of the lift in the corridor looking tense and a little scared._

"_Carlisle…I'm so sorry…so very sorry…you must know I would never do anything to hurt you…you or Edward…you two are like son's to me…I know I was just the help…" she had said in a tearful rush once I had managed to get her to sit._

"_Sue…Sue please look at me." I had said kneeling infront of her, taking one of her hands in mine, whilst Edward who was sitting next to her took the other. She turned to face me, still terrified."You…were never the help to me…to Dad…to Edward, you were…are the mother that we both always desperately wanted." I began._

"_No matter how crazy the old witch got…what she said, what she did…it was those few minutes wrapped in one of your hugs, your support and encouragement that stopped me totally believing her when she said I was useless…and embarrassment…" Edward said roughly, tears pooling in the corners of his eyes._

"_You have NEVER been any of those things…either of you. That damn woman was blessed with two fine boys…who grew up to be two fine men…" Sue said fiercely_

"_Thanks to you…" I said squeezing her hand as she let out a small sob._

"_I don't know about that…you both have a lot of your dear father in you Lord rest him…but she…she didn't deserve you two or him…all she wanted was to Lady of the Manor, have people fawning over her…she put more stock in what other people thought…in impressing them with titles…houses…and I helped her. God forgive me, because I never will…I helped her get away with her wickedness…helped her hold on to that house…a damn title…I helped her keep you in her web…you had finally broken free of all her nonsense…you were so happy…for the first time, I could see you were happy, really happy in that deep and sensitive soul of yours and why wouldn't you be with Miss Mae…she was perfect for you. You made such a beautiful pair you really did, you were doing things a bit quick…the wedding…the poor baby…but you were…you were so in love…I could see… everyone could see it…have to be blind not too… but I could see it would work out…but she…I " Sue had trailed off into bitter sobs against Edward's shoulder. When she finally composed herself, I went to the door of the bedroom where I knew Mae was hiding and as she told me later going crazy hearing Sue so upset._

"_Well Mae and I won't be doing things quite so quickly this time Sue…but when we do get married…I think the mother of the groom's seat in the church will have a new occupant." I had said._

"_Not so fast Cullen…you'll have Edward as best man, Jasper Alice and Emmett on your side…and where Emmett goes Rose goes now…I'll need someone in my corner." Mae had said playfully as she emerged from the room and wrapped an arm round my waist. _

_Sue's face had been priceless. Shock, surprise, confusion, a little fear, but finally real joy. It had brought tears to everyone's eyes._

"_Mae…you came back…" Sue breathed as she had risen shakily to her feet._

"_There's something about this boy you raised…something so damn cute…so loveable…"Mae had begun lightly in an attempt to lighten the mood_

"_That makes you want to tickle his tummy." Edward had teased sarcastically, I followed his pointed gaze and saw Mae's sports bra hanging off the end of the weight on the workout bench. As unobtrusively as I could, I edged towards it glaring at Edward_

"_That I couldn't stay away from…that I realized that despite everything I knew I couldn't…didn't want to live without any more." Mae said as the two women had embraced. My heart had soared at her words and I had hoped she could see that I felt the same when our eyes locked as she looked at me from over Sue's shoulder._

"_She won't be happy." Sue had said seriously._

"_She can go to hell." I had replied._

"_She might, but she might take us with her." Edward had replied grimly._

_He had then proceeded to tell Mae and I about Jane's visit to Sue earlier in the day. Jane had been approached by Theirson at a polo match, he had the copy of Mae's medical report which I had emailed to Edward and which had still been on his stolen laptop. Theirson had found a techno wiz amongst his few remaining contacts, who had managed to uncover Mae's name from under the thick marker I had used._

_Jane had told him that she didn't have access to the amount of money he had first asked for as it had all came to me and apart from her allowance and housekeeping and maintenance for Harrowview which was a longstanding thing and a separate account, she had to ask me for large amounts. Theirson had then sprung the second of his blackmail requests. He would not show me the report, leaving her at the mercy of my anger and possible prosecution, something that Jasper and I had been working on with reluctant help from Blake Hendrix, who had received a very unpleasant visit from us after Kelly's funeral, In return for the access codes to the gun storage area and gates in the surrounding fields. _

_I had managed through conscious effort, to avoid Jane since Mae had returned. Mae was still too fragile for the confrontation and I…I knew that even seconds in Jane's presence would be too long…it would only take two at most to wrap my hands round her neck and start squeezing. I didn't find out about the raid on Harrowview until after it had happened and procedure meant that Julian and the MI5 team he was running would handle the interviews including Jane's. Whilst his colleague had been taken in by Jane's dramatic tears and pleas for a doctor as she clutched at her already long dead heart, Julian had seen the steel behind her eyes and proclaimed her to be "the most convincing and chilling Lady Macbeth the Royal Shakespeare Company had never had."_

_As understanding as he was however, Julian explained to me in no uncertain terms that yes Jane was in the shit for what she had done, as much as I wanted to arrest her for Mae's attempted manslaughter there was a chance that the charges wouldn't stick, arresting her in full public view for terrorism charges would be almost as sweet I had thought bitterly, but so was Edward. Jane had almost animal like cunning for survival and neither Julian or I were in any doubt that she would use every trick she knew. Which would include playing on the rivalry that Edward and I had had, as well as Edward and hers difficult relationship. I had been due to sign Harrowview and its land over to Edward when I had married Mae and moved to the States, but after everything went wrong Jane and Dad had separated, it was the last thing on my mind and we still hadn't officially signed anything when Edward had come out of the army and instigated some popular and profitable schemes at Harrowview that had bought jobs and tourism to the area. It wouldn't take much for Jane's lawyers and Jane herself to persuade a jury that as a sick old woman she had gone to Edward for help and Edward had terrorized her into keeping quiet about Theirson's blackmail attempt, because he didn't want me finding out, exploding and taking away Harrowview, claiming his hard work as my own. It was all bollocks, but juries did and had believed a lot less._

"_But she did it! She gave Mae those drugs…" I had raged at Julian._

"_Her word against Mae's…Mae said that Jane told her she had put the drugs in her food at lunch? How many people could have had access to that food? And Mae left…she didn't report what had happened at the time…if she was so frightened…so upset…"_

"_She was scared for her life! The bitch left her bleeding to death on the bathroom floor..."_

"_Tragic accident…Miss Marshall came to me in a terrible state your honour…poor girl, so far away from home…no mother figure to confide her fears over her unexpected pregnancy. She knew it was too soon for both of them…I begged her to reconsider…but the poor girl was distraught and we both knew how upset Carlisle would be if he found out she'd gone to a clinic however exclusive to fix her little problem…he can be a little possessive…he likes to check up on her…a lot…so I procured the necessary medication yes…I told her…insisted that she stick to the prescribed dose…" Julian had sang in a very convincing female voice addressing a jury. It was credible, possible with Jane giving a full Oscar winning performance._

"_So Jane walks…I can't get her for what she did to Mae…giving Theirson the codes…and Edward could…will be charged with at least conspiracy if we don't stop Thierson and he carries out whatever the fuck he's going to do." I had said, my head in my hands._

"_Nil desperandum Carlisle…there is hope…small…but there is hope." Julian had said clapping me on the shoulder._

I could get out of this…if they stopped. If they didn't dump the car somewhere too remote, where there was a chance of someone hearing my calls for help. If they didn't torch the car…

" **Dude…it's raining! What we gonna do in Brighton if it's raining?"**

If we didn't crash.

The trunk was becoming boiling hot as the engine was pushed past the limits it was probably used to doing, but my body was almost convulsing with shivers as I continued to try and force my throbbing head to focus and stop images of Mae entering my mind.

" _See..Always and Forever Carlisle. It's out of our hands…we're meant to be… we're meant to love each other for always and forever_…_no matter how bad things …have been…may get…we are for always and forever_." She had giggled after on a rare afternoon off, we had visited a fun fair and had our fortunes told. I could feel the hot angry tears of frustration that had been pooling in the corners of my eyes begin to fall as the sight of her face, alive with laughter and love floated before my eyes and the sound of beautiful musical laugh echoed in my ears

I feel the same my beautiful…brave girl…we've earned our forever Mae…we've earned our time to make a happy forever… I want to spend forever looking into that face.

"_Come on then your Lordship…it's been a while…and you have got a little older…I think it's time you showed me if you've still got what it takes…if you can still live keep up your side of our reputation as the best." Mae had challenged tauntingly during one of the SCI's physical work out sessions. I could see her face, the gleam of challenge in her eye, I could see the heart and the courage that made her so bloody good at her job, that I would gladly place my life in her hands in the field, but more than that, I could see the deeper heart and even deeper courage it took for her to come back to me, to our life…to face Jane._

I had never backed down from taking on a criminal and I wasn't going to let someone like Thierson make me start now. As for Jane, I had spent long enough as her emotionally retarded lap dog. I began straining at the bonds round my hands, groping with my fingers to try and find anything amongst the debris that littered the trunk something sharp.

When Mae and I met, I was a screwed up shell of a copper…wanting nothing…other than to do my job…she did that…she screwed me up so much, I was frightened of…didn't know I was capable of being a man…of loving someone, of having them love me…not for who or what I was…but for me. Mae… changed me… I fucked up in the worst way, but Mae… she …the amazing, brave…loving woman she still wants to be with me…still loves me…wants a future with me…calls me her work in progress… Well my darling..I'm not going anywhere I'm…coming home to you so you can…finish you're work. And I can finish mine…my work of spending the rest of my life telling…showing you just how much I love you…making you and our children proud of me… I thought to myself, biting back the groans of pain that escaped me unbidden as I strained my already battered, overstretched muscles. I knew it was crazy, she was thousands of miles away, but I had to tell her…had to make her hear me…in her heart…try and give her some of the strength that she gave me.

"There will be more children Mae…we will never forget our first child…but our love will create more beautiful babies…who will show the world…show that bitch that no one…I mean it Mae…NO ONE, will ever be able to break us…come between what we have…the love we have…I love you Mae…I love you so damn much…I will fight Mae…I swear, I will…fight to come back to you darling…fight to see the look on the evil old bitches face when you become the one and only Lady Cullen. My Lady…imagine her face when she sees that on the prison visiting order darling…Lady Mae Cullen…"

But after what felt like forever, it started to become more and more case of the mind being willing, but the body being too…damn weak. The throbbing pain in my temple was blurring what little vision I had and adding to the bile that was rising in my throat.

"No! Damn it no…I can't give up…can't give in…Mae…I love you…please remember love…I love you…" I sobbed weakly as I felt myself slipping towards the darkness of oblivion. The flashing lights before my eyes cleared briefly to allow me one last glimpse of her face. Gazing up at me as we danced on my balcony after Alice's party, her eyes full of love.

**EDWARD POV**

We had fought like cat and dog, been jealous of each other…had with more than a little help from our dear mother truly hated each other for awhile. I had only really got my brother, my best friend, my protector, the only person who when it came down to it, truly understood me, could make me feel less alone now Dad was gone back because of Mae.

She had suffered a childhood that was just as tough as ours in its own way, but she had still become a kind, well balanced, loving woman, or a "bloody good actress" she insisted huffily when I mentioned it. She had then come into our lives and suffered horrifying evil at Jane's hands, but instead of letting the twisted old hag beat her and keep her down, Mae had got back up and come out punching "for one more round."

_We had been watching Rocky Five, both a little loose, needing a little extra liquid courage to face each other again after everything that had happened, everything I had found out. But our awkwardness was soon forgotten and we had set about working on repairing our friendship, which was one I had really been coming to rely on and cherish…before Mommy Dearest had snatched it away._

"_You know…my mom and I loved watching Rocky movies…we both got really into it…the underdog taking on the big guy and winning. That's what we were…when we got away from my Dad…two underdogs…it was just the two of us…but we took em all on…we showed them…" she stammered, her voice trailing off as the tears began to fall. I had pulled her into a hug, she had loved her mother like I had loved my Dad…and I knew exactly how painful it could be when you had those bad moments when something reminded you of what you had had and what you were missing so badly._

"_Night before I went to see Carlisle…to explain…I was dreaming I was back on the floor of my apartment sniffing his shirt…Sue…she packed me some of his shirts…when I left…well I was terrified…I wanted him back so badly…I love him Edward…I really do love him…he…completes me…" she giggled at her use of the line from Jerry Maguire._

"_Yeah I get it…he's your lobster." I had slurred back, using Phoebe from Friend's as my inspiration._

"_xactly…but I was so scared that…well anyway…I saw my mom…she was standing there like Mickey does at the end of this movie…she was standing there and she was saying…"I didn't hear a final bell Mae…you've got one more round…you've gotta get up…you've got to fight…because Carlisle loves you…"_

_And Mae's mother was half right…Carlisle didn't just love her…he adored her…she was his world._

Carlisle was a strong man in a lot of ways, especially in his career, but years left to the tender mercies of our dear twisted mother had left us both emotionally fragile…weak in certain areas. We were both in our own ways displayed all the symptoms of men who had "trust" issues when it came lasting relationships with women. Carlisle was always worrying that a woman was only with him for his title, his money. And of course all mother's years of dominating him, making him believe that she was the only one who truly understood and cared about his worries, meant that he took her advice on which "suitable nice girls" to date. They were almost all his worst nightmare come true as he quickly worked out. That lead him to bury himself in his work, where the emotions were a lot simpler, where he had no real need to feel more than the satisfaction of catching the bad guy.

I on the other hand was not afraid to put myself out there, show affection, take risks. But I was always waiting for any affection shown to me, to be snatched away, for the girl I was to find fault, realize that I was "impossible", "difficult", "an embarrassment" as my mother had told me so often. After a while, despite all my father and my second mum Sue's efforts to show me with their long term kindness, love and support, that I wasn't any of those things, I always ended up doing or saying something that would force the girl to leave me. There had been a couple that had fought for me, stuck in there…but I was a lot of work. That was part of the reason I loved the army so much, women didn't usually stick around for too long.

Mae had as he said, had started to change Carlisle. She understood and matched his passion for his work, but more than that, she understood him, his likes, dislikes, his worries and concerns about everything, especially the future of Harrowview and the people who lived there. She didn't like a lot of the woman of our "class" has Jane had described them, force all the "Divine right" and "people needing guidance" crap on him. She had made it very clear that she would support him whatever he wanted to do with his title, the land. But as supportive as Mae was of Carlisle, she was never afraid to let him know when he had fucked up or gone too far.

But if you saw Carlisle and Mae together since she had returned, you could see the love, happiness and embarrassing amounts of lust, but there was a caution there as well. They had seemed to be pulling their punches in the few arguments they had, as if they were frightened of frightening each other away again. Mae had told me during our reunion that personally if not professionally they were both struggling a little to get past the fear. It had been Mae's ex husband Paul of all people who had helped them through that fear.

In an attempt to cheer me up about what had happened to my car the night before, Mae had suggested that the whole gang head down to a nice little pub a little further down the river. Carlisle, Jazz, Emmett and I had headed out of the apartment ahead of Alice Mae and Rose who were doing whatever women did to get ready for an afternoon in the pub. They had emerged from the building to see Carlisle being confronted by a drunken Paul.

"_PAUL! What the hell are you doing here?" Mae had demanded._

" _I'm on a stop over on the way back to Langely…whilst I was here I thought I'd drop by and tell your precious little Lord Snooty a few home truths! He deserves to know what he did to you…how you would wake up more than once screaming in terror…begging him…" Paul had slurred._

"_Paul…I told you…it was a long…complicated story…I hurt him as much as he hurt me…"_

"_So why were you the one that was a left an emotional mess with a fucking death wish? Or have you forgotten the coked up drug dealer that you insisted on taking on single handed even though back up was on the way? We were separated and you were staying with Rose, but they still called me as your next of kin…fifteen staples Mae…not stitches…fucking staples." Paul had shouted, his anger obviously coming from his fear and it wasn't love…but there was still affection there._

_Mae had recoiled slightly at Paul's words and Carlisle had visibly paled but he couldn't criticize her._

"_Maee, what are you doing? He's not good for you…you were happy at Langley…you were doing so much better…" Paul had pleaded making a grab for Mae's arms. We had all stepped forward, but Mae had begged us with her eyes to back off a little._

"_No Paul…I wasn't happy…I was numb, faking it…"_

"_Like you did with me…" Paul had said bitterly._

"_Paul…I did care for you…you were there when I needed someone…you were so kind…but I wasn't fair to you…I was a bitch…the only man I ever wanted, loved…the only man who has made me truly happy…is standing behind you…Paul…go home…go back to Langely_

"_Mae noo…" Paul had wailed shaking her by the arms. That was too much for Carlisle. He pulled Paul away from Mae. The booze he had drunk plus his anger had given Paul the strength and the courage to try and aim that lucky punch I imagine he had dreamed for years of landing on Carlisle._

_About three seconds after Paul had succeeded in splitting Carlisle's lip, he was slumped over on the floor clutching his stomach, where Carlisle had just landed two punches in quick succession._

"_Make you feel better did it Carlisle?" Mae had sneered from her position on the ground next to Paul. Her eyes blazing with anger._

"_He hit me first!" Carlisle had said pathetically. Yes Paul had drawn blood, but Carlisle had taken worse in training…he hadn't needed to hit back so hard or at all if we were all honest._

"_I thought any duties or concerns for your ex husbands welfare ended when you signed the divorce papers…obviously I was wrong…" Carlisle sneered._

"_Yes you are…because you see this was what's called a grown up relationship… I know you might not be totally familiar with one of those Carlisle… but it's one where you don't always do what you're told…what's expected." Mae had shot back acidly, her blazing eyes locking with his. _

_Carlisle whole body had tensed, I wasn't sure if he was even breathing._

"_Please forgive me my emotional ignorance…but if you wish to educate me further of other flaws in my character…I would please ask that you kindly do so…inside." He had said finally, his voice chillingly cold, his proper English accent full of razor sharp vowels._

_We had all seen a tired and emotional Paul home stopping for several drinks on the way back to Carlisle's. We had known this argument or something like it was brewing, but they could be so emotionally intense and volatile we were more than a little concerned at what we would find when we got there._

"_I still think we should give them some more time." Jasper had said with little conviction._

"_Jazz…they could both be dead." Alice had said seriously. We had all laughed we knew that they would never intentionally hurt each other physically. But we had both seen that the potential was very much there._

_We all called them on their cells, we knocked repeatedly on the front door, we knew we shouldn't, but we were concerned. Alice snatched my key out of my hand and opened the door._

"_Helloo… Carlisle…Mae…" Alice called._

_Instead of going in, we all stood peering in over the top of each other's heads. The apartment was quiet._

"_Don't touch anything…" Emmett hissed as we ventured further in. The alcohol was effecting us all. "Just in case." He replied when we all looked at him in confusion._

_The only damage we could see was a smashed wine glass, two new empty bottles, a dented saucepan that I remember we had left on the drying up rack when we had cleaned up after dinner and ripped clothes…his and hers…_

"_Oh my…" Alice squeaked from behind me. The others and I who had hung back, rounded the alcove that separated the kitchen and dining area from the living area._

"_Shit! I really did not need to see that…" Jasper hissed turning away blushing._

_Carlisle and Mae were intimately entwined, naked on the couch, a blanket covering nowhere near enough of them._

"_I think they look beautiful…like a sculpture…" A drunk Alice said wistfully._

"_Well if they are dead…what a way to go…" Rose said quietly with a chuckle. _

"_Can you imagine what we would have seen if we'd have got here a bit earlier?" Alice giggled clutching Rose's arm "Seen something you like baby?" Rose asked archly as she caught Emmett staring intently at Mae's bare shoulder, where a long, livid scar stuck out._

"_Just admiring her scar…in a purely professional capacity." He replied with a look that told us all that it was a private joke._

"_Well if all you perverts have seen quite enough…" Carlisle said suddenly, scaring the crap out of all of us. He pulled the blanket up and tighter across Mae, pulling her still sleeping form against him protectively._

"_Sorry…we…well Alice…she thought…" I began._

"_I wasn't the only one…" Alice huffed quietly taking a flying leap and landing heavily on my back._

"_I know what you thought and thankyou for your concern…but we cleared the air…we're okay…" Carlisle said quietly, his blush spreading to his chest. And after that, despite everything that had happened, they really did seem to be okay…stronger…_

_But once again she, had managed to come between them. It had hurt, but had not been a real surprise when Carlisle had explained that Jane was probably going to try and feed me to the wolves to protect herself. I was frightened, terrified, I still had a fear of confined spaces and the thought of a prison cell terrified me. But I believed Carlisle and Jasper when they had told me fiercely, emotionally almost that they would do whatever it took to help me. But I couldn't help thinking that if I had taken the chance that had presented itself to help myself, help them, none of this would have been happening._

_I had a sixth sense when it came to Jane and I was even more cautious when she started being to what any one else would appear barely civil, but to her was positively gushing with me. But my work at Harrowview, the shoots, the photography hunts, the outward bound camping and survival skills courses for children and now Garrett's weapons had me distracted. It was the society season so Jane was staying mainly in London, but I knew she had come down to the country. It was times like that that I was so glad that the house was so damn big._

_Jane had always had this terrifying ability to silently appear out of nowhere, emerging from the dark recesses of my nightmares to torment me in the day time too. And she had done that that day, startling me as she had come up behind me whilst I was in the middle of cleaning one of the hunting rifles. That wasn't the best thing to do to someone who still had vivid memories of Iraq, Afghanistan and the horror that was Helmand Province, a place I had unfortunately had to visit on several occasions as part of the emergency chopper team which flew to the front line to collect the gravely wounded soldiers. There, even the slightest noise could mean the difference between life and death. I had spun round rifle raised at her chest. She hadn't flinched just given me a cold smile._

"_Really Edward…whatever has you so nervous?" _

_The memory of the broken arm I had received, when in an attempt to cure me of my "embarrassing" fear of horses, you had dragged me in here, sitting me on the tallest most unpredictable horse we had making sure you slapped it's rump to get it to rear up, I thought bitterly, not lowering the rifle._

"_Are you more of a man than I've given you credit for Edward? Do you have what it takes to pull that trigger…a gentle squeeze…that's all it would take dear." Jane had said silkily, her eyes never leaving mine. I remember the pounding of my heart as my sweating finger had slid over the small cold piece of metal. It would have been so simple, accidents happen…but I couldn't do it._

But now I would have to find the courage to make the call that could knock Mae down for good this time

**JASPER POV**

"Inspector Whitlock…do you know what time it is?" Doctor Palmer spluttered, sending his various chins swinging in different directions.

"Sorry Doc, I forgot you were such a stickler for the rules." I sneered as I edged past the fat man into his cramped and shabby flat. Doctor Palmer had been struck off after his drinking had affected his work to such an extent that a patient had almost died. He had cut back, but still had a worrying shake to his hand, but for desperate criminals who couldn't risk going to hospitals he was their only choice.

"There's no need for that tone." He huffed.

"No, you're quite right…here, I bought you some grapes…I know you prefer the pressed kind." I said tossing him a bottle of decent wine, I had liberated from our evidence room, that had been set to be poured down the sink. With surprising ease and speed Palmer caught it. He was a good guy deep down, he'd helped us out on a nasty child prostitution case a couple of years before. I felt a little bad that I was enabling him, but he had told us many times that he was too set in his ways to change now.

"Didn't bring me anything." TC wheezed from behind me. I spun round to see a battered and bloodied TC leaning heavily on the door frame of Palmers spare room, which acted as his surgery and was a lot cleaner and tidier than the rest of the flat.

"Inspector…I don't know what or why…but this man needs to rest preferably in hospital…apart from his superficial wounds, he has broken ribs and every finger on his left hand is broken."

"Talk to me TC…you're supposed to be lying low." I said helping the man to the battered sofa.

"One of me kids…got took bad with 'is chest…I had to be there. Anyway I saw Talbot…followed him back to a house in Pinner Village…but Talbot…he knew I was behind him…he was as high a bloody kite…man's an animal. He was shouting about how Carlisle had fucked up his life…how some bloke called Theirson was treating him like an idiot…how he wasn't going to take it anymore…he was going to show Theirson and Carlisle…well he was going to show em that he was the man you didn't fuck with. The bastard had pictures of my missus coming and going from the hospital, from the house with my other kiddies…" TC pleaded tearfully.

"Alright man easy…" I said patting his shoulder gently.

"I didn't think Mr C would come alone…I thought he'd at least bring that…what's her name…Mae…that one looks like she'd give Lara Croft a run for her money." He chuckled painfully. "Anyway…he just bundled me in the cab he got out of sent me here."

She wasn't Lara Croft, but I had no doubt that if Mae had been with Carlisle they could have handled Talbot no matter what state he was in. But then again, if Mae was here, Carlisle would never have gone alone. Jane was always professing how much she loved Carlisle, how what she did was because she loved him in her own twisted way. But she was in real danger of loving him to death

_Two of the men on the Harrowview raid had been easily caught with the plans and the codes for the secure sheds. On the surface it looked like a matter of luck, bad for them, good for us. But as more of the details had come to light, it had become blindingly obvious that although he was desperate, Theirson wasn't stupid. He had needed the weapons Edward and Garrett had, but he had also needed Carlisle and the team off his back and what better way to do that than by find some dirt, some very explosive dirt on him, something that would make the powers that be wonder if he was more of a risk than a help on the case. For years we had wanted the powers that be to get their noses out of their textbooks and expenses claims and start thinking…using the brains that in the most part had got them promoted in the first place. And our prayers had been answered at totally the wrong fucking time._

_It had looked bad for Edward, it was his word against Jane's about why she had kept quiet about and gone ahead with what Theirson had asked her and her word against Mae's that the whole abortion thing had happened the way Mae had claimed. I knew the woman was twisted, had known since my summers at Harrowview that the only thing stopping me from receiving rougher treatment than lashings from her forked, barbed tounge was the fact that my father was in the Senate. Jane may not have had a great love of America or Americans but she loved the prestige of having a senator on her Christmas card list. But to do what she had done to Mae had turned my stomach, I had physically wretched when Carlisle with Mae's permission had finally told me what had happened a couple of days before Kelly's funeral and asked me to help him look for possible charges we could bring considering our lack of evidence and the time that had elapsed. I had believed Mae without question. I have always been a very good judge of character, able to pick up on the smallest change in emotion, it helps me pick out the liars pretty damn quick and one thing that I knew was that Mae Marshall was no liar. Not about her love for Carlisle, her love for our little extended family. And it wasn't as if the hints that Jane hated Mae weren't clear to us at least. The chances of us getting a criminal charge to stick against Jane were slim, but a little pressure on Hendrix which I had thoroughly enjoyed administering had allowed us to begin building a case against him for defrauding the partners in his practice. We were also working on a case to present to the General Medical Council which would see him struck off, stripped of his title and humiliated. He had only been another pawn in Jane's sick and twisted little game, but Carlisle like some vengeful black night was set on smashing anything or anyone that kept him from his white Queen too late or not. But we could not, Carlisle would not move until Mae was strong enough…until they were strong enough with as a personal team to face their biggest horror._

_I was pretty good at forming tactical strategies in cases, finding loopholes, but in Edward's case I was beaten. Unless we managed to find and stop Theirson before he did whatever the hell he was planning, Edward would be caught up on a conspiracy charge. It might not have stuck, but he would have gone to hell and back beforehand and the thought of the man I thought of like a little brother suffering like that…thanks to the bitch who had already blighted so much of his damn life had almost driven me crazy. But then MI5 Julian a man who despite his outward appearance had a mind like a steel trap when it wasn't on checking out my ass, had given us the thinnest of straws to grasp at._

_I had always loved Sue, she had always helped make my summers at Harowview so special, made me feel if only for a few weeks that I had a mom that cared. But as well as being a wonderfully loving woman, Sue was extremely tough and brave. We had explained the situation to her and just how much trouble Edward had faced, well that had done it, the thought of her Edward being in danger had seen her beg us to let her help. She had faced down a stressed and seriously pissed off Lady Jane twice, with standing some awful verbal attacks to, without using any type of enticement that could make the evidence inadmissible, get us the information that Jane had another meeting with Theirson to collect the medical report._

_With a little help from Jake and Leah and a newly returned DC Tweed, we had videotaped and audio recorded the meeting in a small London park. Theirson of course had been careful and sent Felix_

"_Mr Theirson is a little surprised that you haven't told the police…told your son the Detective Chief Superintendant about your meeting at the polo…"_

"_Why would I?"_

"_Well…your other son Edward…he will be in a considerable amount of trouble…the authorities don't have anything concrete…but it's enough to possibly have him sent down."_

"_Oh Edward will be alright…he's been to boarding school…in the army…he's used to being round other men…institutions… might make him realize what happens to ungrateful little brats that don't respect their mothers and start nosing around in things that were history…that don't concern him…are you sure Mister Thierson's contact can't tell where the email to Edward's machine came from?" she had said._

"_Is that bitch for real?" Jake had exploded as we listened to the tape back at the SCI office_

_If only he knew I had thought._

"_Now I did what you wanted…gave you the codes…you got what you wanted…now I think it's time for you to give me what I want…how do I know you haven't made copies?" _

"_You don't." Felix had said with an evil chuckle._

_Knocking briefly I found Carlisle and Mae, the stress of the last weeks showing clearly on their faces._

"_We've got her." I said simply._

"_You're sure…"_

_My affronted look must have shown in my face. They both rose unsteadily to their feet, no space between them, both desperate for the strength they gained from each other._

"_I can't arrest her…" Carlisle said, he wasn't wimping out he couldn't incase her lawyers used it later. I could technically, but I knew someone who needed it more._

"_Me…?" Mae whispered._

"_You have the jurisdiction whilst you're part of the SCI."_

"_I'll be right beside you love…"_

"_Me too…Mae I know that this…won't can't make up for even a tenth of what she made you suffer…and Carlisle and I did everything in our power to get a charge for what she did to you to stick…we couldn't…but with this Mae…we have her…you are the one with the power now not her…" I had said. "And you have to be the one because there is no guarantee if I do it…she'll get here in one piece. I've spent years unable to do anything whilst she has tortured Carlisle and Edward…my brother's…then she moved onto you…my friend…my little future sister in law…well damn, sometimes a man had to draw a line in the sand…" I said fiercely, my accent thickening as I got emotional. I acknowledged Carlisle's look of gratitude with a nod over Mae's shoulder as she embraced me._

"_Don't leave me…" she had said anxiously to Carlisle._

"_Never again." He had said squeezing her shoulder._

"This had better be good Jasper." Emmett growled as he thumped into the house in Pinnerview where Carlisle had confronted Talbot.

"Like you were sleeping anyway." I snapped. Emmett and Rose were now officially very much a couple and he had been suffering through Rose's absence almost as much as Carlisle. But whereas Carlisle kept a lot of pain inside, Emmett liked to share.

"Well…I'm no detective, but it looks like there was a pretty bad fight and at least two people are suffering from a greatly reduced blood count." Emmett growled as he glanced round at the large lounge, whose heavy wooden furniture had been reduced to firewood and the blood which spattered the walls, and gathered in a sickeningly large pool near the centre.

"What's up Jazz? Getting squeamish in your old age?" he huffed as he saw my pale face.

"Em…I need…I need you to indentify if any of this blood…if any of it belongs to Carlisle." I said quietly.

It took a moment for my words to sink in. Emmett's face became as white as the paper suit he was wearing. I could see his large frame begin to shake.

"EM! I need you to focus man…please…I need everyone on their game." I snapped.

"Is he?...Is he?" Emmett stammered as he tried to compose himself.

"I don't know…"

With a shaking hand, that I was glad that none of the officers I had flooding the area dragging people out of their beds could see, I lit a cigarette and took a deep drag into my lungs. I let my head fall back against the side wall of the house where I was hiding.

Carlisle had been my best friend since one of the other boys in our dorm at school had decided that he wanted to wash my Yankee mouth out and teach me how to speak the Queens English for the second night in a row. We were nine and quickly got the nicknames of Butch and Sundance which had followed us into the MET. I had been a little jealous when Mae had first arrived. But it hadn't taken me long to see that she worked with him on a deeper level than I ever had. They really were sides of the same coin. And I hadn't lost my best friend, I had gained an even better one because of her. And in Mae, I had found not only a good friend, but also someone who professionally, encouraged and challenged me in a way I didn't even realize I had needed or wanted till it happened.

"Well my friend, if you have been forced to take the leap off the cliff without me…know…I will hunt Talbot down…him and Theirson and I'll rip them apart…with Mae's help…" I chuckled grimly. "I'll look after her…if she'll let me…she won't be the same…but she's a brave girl…fucking brave…you saw that yourself that night…the two of you…the two of you facing down Jane together…was beautiful…fucking beautiful." I said quietly scrubbing my hand over my face to try and clear the tears that were threatening to choke me.

_Edward had broken every known speed limit during his drive from Harrowview to London where we were going to arrest Jane at a charity dinner for one of the committees she sat on. After everything he had suffered, Carlisle wouldn't do it without him._

_She had been in the middle of making a speech to a large cross section of the great and good from the London society set when we had led by Carlisle strode down the center of the large ballroom onto the stage._

"_Carlisle! What are you doing? I'm…" Jane hissed becoming flustered._

"_Giving yet another Oscar winning performance I'm sure mother…I'm terribly sorry ladies and gentlemen, but your key note speaker will not be able to finish her address…it's all lies anyway, she thinks all country people are inbred yokels who need to learn their places. But to any of the heads of the other committees Jane sits on that are out there tonight…please take this as her formal resignation…you see, she will be otherwise engaged for the forceeable future…Mae…" Carlisle said calmly and matter of factly through the microphone at the lecturn._

_Mae, her earlier fear well hidden by what she called her game face, stepped forward and none to gently twisted Jane's hands behind her back._

"_Lady Jane Alexandra Louise Cullen I am arresting you for conspiracy to aide by means of financial or practical help an act of terrorism…you do not have to say anything…"_

"_Because we all know what comes out of your mouth are just twisted, venomous lies don't we mother." Carlisle had crooned quietly in Jane's ear, causing her beet red face, to turn ashen in a heartbeat. Her eyes had widened as she looked at him. "That's right…I know everything." He had said, a chilling smile on his face._

"_Mind your head Lady J…wouldn't want you hurting yourself I said innocently as I pushed a now cuffed and sobbing Jane into the back of the smelliest police car we had been able to find. Mae caught my hand as I was about to close the door, gripping my sleeve, she leant in _

"_A daughter's a daughter all her life, a son's a son till he finds a wife…you won't be able to stop the next wedding Jane…the one where we show everyone who matters…how much we love each other…when I become his and he…he becomes MINE." Mae spat savagely her eyes flashing in the darkness._

_I had been so damn proud…emotional…I had had to watch the departing police car for a moment to compose myself, whilst commiting everything to memory to tell Alice later_

"_Ding Dong the witch is dead." Edward had sung grimly. "Tell me…please…how fucking good did that feel?" he had begged a strange look on his face. Mae had shook her head, her professional shell shattered now, on visibly shaking legs she had stumbled towards Carlisle. He had wrapped his arms and the sides of his long over coat tightly round her, needing her to cling to as much as she needed him The look they had shared had been full of so many intense emotions it had been painful to see but as I had turned away I had heard_

"_We did it…" from a still shocked Mae._

"_Together." Carlisle had replied._

But as the saying goes, the devil looks after his own. The powers that be had wanted a water tight case for when we bought Theirson in and they had sent in an independent team to analyze everything we had done, everything Carlisle and Mae had done together and apart. Theirson had got with a little help from Jane what he wanted. Carlisle and Mae slowed down and an almost free hand to carry on doing whatever the hell he was planning. I and the rest of the team were cleared to return to work after two days, although Emmett had threatened to go on strike when he found out that Rose had been put on suspension alongside Mae and that he was getting a new temporary assistant. But his own anger had quickly been replaced by concern for a really upset Rose. Carlisle had finally been cleared to carry on as long as he stayed away from Jane whose arrest was evidence was being handled very carefully. But the investigation into Mae and Rose's work was taking a little longer and they were both informed with no chance to argue that whilst they were waiting their time could be better used back in Washington appearing before a Grand Jury on an old case they had worked on that was coming to trial.

"Sir! Sir! Sir!"

"Jake, you really should have gone wee wee before you came out." I growled. Jake was becoming a well respected member of the team and a friend, so I merely smiled when he flipped me off.

"Lady at number 84…her husband's BMW was stolen three hours ago."

"She can't say we don't care about car crime then can she?" I said glancing past him to the street that was full of police.

"Jasper…" Jake said genuinely concerned.

"Ignore me…I've been in this job so long I've developed the blackest of humour…helps me cope with things…stops me thinking that all that blood in there actually does belong to Carlisle."

Jake winced slightly.

"Sir…insomniac across the street heard a fight…lasted about ten minutes then a Mercedes turned up the driver going inside."

"Description?"

Emily, Carlisle's temporary liason who was despite Carlisle being his difficult best, was actually working really well with the team, paled.

"She gave me the description and it rang a pretty big alarm bell…I showed her a couple of case photo's on my phone…she ID'd Felix."

Theirson's right hand man, who had in his youth had a very short temper, which hadn't mellowed as much as he liked people to believe. The cold water that had been trickling down my neck into my heart now became a flood.

**CARLISLE POV**

"_I'm disappointed Supercop…that you didn't bring Dirty Harriet…Dirty Harriet…shit I'm good." Talbot giggled, his glassy eyes rolling slightly. He wasn't the first to call Mae that since the raid on Alice's store_

"_I don't need anyone's help to take you down Talbot."_

"_Well that's just as well innit…cause she's gone…ain't she? Theirson maybe full of weird crap…but he said he was going to slow you down and he did…he did it…with the help of your own mummy! Wass it like knowing your own mum hates you that much…?" he taunted._

_I had sprang at him with a snarl, blinded by emotion. Our fight was brief…but brutal, I didn't see the heavy glass ashtray until it was too late…but I swear I heard in the few moments before the darkness claimed me the first time Felix's voice…didn't I?_

I wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't anymore, I had despite my fears come round, to find a small pool of vomit in front of me.

Fight or flight Carlisle. Mae loved Rocky movies and when she was knocked down in training or when in a private moment emotions sometimes overwhelmed her, she would pull herself together by muttering "one more round…I've got one more round."

As I focused on my surroundings, I realized for definite that I was in my final round, with the count very much against me…but I hadn't heard a bell. I'd heard planes…what time was it? If they were still heading to Brighton, we must be at least half way there if I could hear the planes from the nearby airport.

"_FUCK CARLISLE! Do you have something against answering your phone…" Jasper exploded as I walked through the doors of the SCI._

"_I was having another lecture about professional distance…" I had snapped._

"_Mae…she's gone…back to the States" Jasper had said quietly._

"_What?..Jazz that's not funny…" I hissed as I collapsed onto the edge of my desk._

"_I'm not laughing…" he said closing the door. "She and Rose…they haven't been cleared yet and their bosses have decided that the best way for them to fill in the time is by giving evidence to the Grand Jury on what according to Rose was an already sorted case…it's their slap on the wrist…Mae waited as long as she could Carlisle and she's left you a million messages but she and Rose were getting an official escort to the airport."_

_A quick check of my phone showed 15 missed messages._

"_How long?"_

"_She doesn't know…"_

"_The bitch has done it again…she's got between us again…"_

"_Only if you let her…Carlisle…Mae will be back this time…and you have the chance to say goodbye…yep…Emmett's outside their flight doesn't leave for 90 minutes…"_

_I don't remember much about the trip to the airport, only that we hadn't taken Emmett's car I had terrorized a couple of young PC's into driving us with the sirens blasting. At the airport, Emmett had commandeered a buggy that was full of someone else's luggage. We had reached the gate as the last call was sounding. I had flashed my badge in people's faces. I was lucky I wasn't shot, but I didn't care…I had to see her, tell her how much I loved her, that this wasn't the end, that we would be together again…say goodbye._

"_She's done it again…" Mae had sobbed._

_I was scared, but I had faith in us what we had managed to rebuild in even such a short time and looking at Mae the pain and fear in her eyes I knew it was my turn to be strong._

"_No…NO love…she'll only have done it if we let her and I have no intention of letting you go again…if this goes on too long I'll just get on a damn plane…" I said taking her face in my hands wiping her tears with my thumbs. "It's different this time Mae…this time we get the chance to say goo…no…a chance to say…I love you so much…I will be here waiting for you when you come back…back to carry on the life we have…the life we will make stronger…better…happier…the life she will have nothing to do with…if you want…"_

"_I'll love you always Carlisle…and I can't wait to spend forever with you my love…" she had softly. Our lips had met softly, tenderly but had quickly gained in intensity as we had tried to pour into that one brief kiss all our love, our hope, and draw from it the comfort and reassurance we needed to try and sustain us._

I cried out as my hand finally came into something sharp. I had noticed a few golf things in the trunk of the car, including a ball that was digging painfully into my back. I wasn't much of a golfer, but I thought what I had felt was a tool used to scrap mud from the spikes on golf shoes. If I could balance it right, it could work to cut my ties giving me back the use of my hands, which I could then use to work the small gap where the lid of the trunk was not sitting flush with the car…all the way round. And if I was right and this was one of the BMW's that were being recalled for problems with the lids and locks of their trunks…I had a chance, a small one…but a chance. My head was throbbing painfully…please god, please don't be as cruel as to let me escape my joy ride with dumb and dumber only to be struck down by a head freaking injury.

But it seemed that God was in fact toying with me, punishing me for my lone ranger act. If I was going to die, it seemed that I wouldn't be allowed to see anymore happy memories of my real "life" with Mae just my nightmares.

_The sound of the child's crying had become deafening as still dressed in my morning suit I had climbed the staircase at Harrowview desperately searching for Mae. She couldn't be gone…she couldn't be gone…I ran down the hall, hands over my ears as I grew closer and closer to _the_ sound of the crying. I was calling for Mae but she couldn't hear me over the sound of the crying. I skidded to a halt in front of the bathroom door only to find it blocked by Jane. The crying was deafening but she didn't seem bothered I screamed at her to move but she couldn't hear me, she was just smiling. I tried to reach out and move her, push past her but she wouldn't move, she was like a dead weight, solid immovable._

"_Carlisle…I can't give you long…there's only so much paperwork I can tie her solicitor up with before he smells a rat…you look like shit…you sure you're up to this?" Jasper had said the morning after Mae had left and I had asked him to delay Jane's solicitor on one of her bail check ins and interviews._

_I had just nodded. _

**JANE POV**

"_If I hadn't have helped her…she would have died." _ As I gazed from my bedroom window at the rolling hills and land of Harrowview, I knew that the inconvenience and mess that would have occurred if that Damn Marshall woman had died that night would have been a small price to pay. It would have been a clean wound that would have healed by now, rather than a festering sore that was now once again dripping its poison into all parts of my life. But she hadn't died, Sue Harper a servant who had been allowed to foster ideas far above her station by Aro and my two so called sons had found her, allowing her to come back from the past where I thought she was safely buried figuratively at least, to destroy me all I had worked for, all I had earned.

I wasn't sure what had hurt me more, the shame of being humiliated in front of my peers, being humiliated by Carlisle…or her…her arrogance…her threat "_You won't be able to stop the next wedding Jane, the one we show everyone who matters how much we love each other…the one where I become his and he becomes…mine."_ She was right…Edward's damn stupidity, Christian Theirson's greed and that damn Harper woman's deluded belief that she had the right to poke her nose into private family matters had given her everything that was mine, everything I loved…my home, my title, Carlisle.

When that damn odious little man had approached me at the polo and told me about that damn medical report, I had immediately thought of Harper. She was the only other person apart from Blake Hendrix who knew about what I had done. The mess she had made dragging Marshall down the stairs. I had been up half the night, forced to scrub at the thick blood stains along the hall carpet and stairs. Thankfully the guests were too caught up with the fact that Marshall was gone, that she had jilted Carlisle at the altar to notice the wet spots. But despite Harper's insolent mouth then and now, "_So your sins have finally come back to haunt you…it couldn't have happened to a nicer person."_ I should have known that she wouldn't have had the brains to keep a copy of the medical report…Marshall however, as I was finding to my cost, I had underestimated her. It wasn't as if Harper needed the money, when she had "retired" Edward and Carlisle had gifted her a cottage and an allowance. She would have stayed quiet, not wanting to upset "her boys", Carlisle and Edward were my children, my son's but she had brain washed them against me…turned Edward especially against me…she knew that if she had told him what had happened…he would have started digging around, finding evidence to try and use against me with Carlisle…he wanted Harrowview for himself, his damn bleeding heart wanted to let all sorts of rubbish onto my land, into my home. Well he wouldn't be able to now I thought savagely. Even if the stupid boy didn't go to prison, which be a fitting punishment for someone with a fear of small spaces such as his, the mud would stick…his precious businesses…they would suffer, there would be no more delinquent children, no more businessmen with easy open wallets. But I realized soberly, it wouldn't only be Edward's reputation that suffered…it would be Harrowview as a whole…I couldn't let that happen…I couldn't let Carlisle let that happen.

I had never seen Carlisle so…he has never even during the worst of our arguments since that damn Marshall woman left behaved, spoken to me like he did that night and later when…it was that woman, working her sluttish charms on him once again, dripping poison in his ear. It was her, he was showing off for her…they were finished, Carlisle had moved on, he had been seeing Angela, a nice girl, little rebellious but nothing I couldn't cure her off in time. That's all Carlisle needed, a little more time, time to forget Marshall…

"_Esme seems a perfectly charming woman…Carlisle has to marry and produce an heir at some point…why not her if she makes him happy." Blake had simpered. _Because what would the child be an heir to if Carlisle took it to America and did what he had threatened and signed Harrowview into the control of his idiot, ungrateful traitorous brother? I knew Carlisle didn't enjoy the duties that came with his position and he was only doing as much as he had been recently out of a desire to honour his father's commitments, but all I needed was a little more time to develop the closeness that had been redeveloping between us since Aro's death.

My mother had warned me that the Cullen's were odd, but they had the largest and most successful lands in the county, they had connections in royal circles. Aside from being an embarrassment by not accepting and using his position in society, Aro was an over emotional, needy pest, with an unhealthy interest in physical intimacy. Whilst I knew that that side of our relationship would not stop after I had produced the children, I couldn't understand why he couldn't be satisfied with encounters on special occasions. He had taken lovers, I was thrilled, thinking that it would keep him away from me, but no, the fool had tearfully confessed and said that that wasn't what he wanted, he wanted to work on our marriage. Carlisle was possessed of similar characteristics, I knew he wouldn't get rid of the Marshall woman for just having a miscarriage, he would want to comfort her, try again. So I had built a little safeguard into my plan by planting the box that the tablets-mothers little helpers as I liked to think of them, came in in Marshall's things. Blake had also procured an appointment confirmation letter from an exclusive abortion clinic in her name. I would "accidently" come across these things when I packed her a few things for him to take the hospital.

It had been almost perfect. The tablets were easily hidden in the foreign muck we had had for lunch. Blake had said that only two tablets were necessary, with a further one to be administered forty eight hours later if nothing had happened, which apparently was possible. I didn't have forty eight hours, they would have been consummating their travesty of a marriage by then. I had doubled the dose.

It had taken longer than I had hoped, but finally just after we had all retired I heard her cry out. I was a little perturbed when I saw she had collapsed onto the floor, the blood had stained the tiles terribly, Carlisle had been too distraught to notice thankfully and I had had them replaced soon after. When she did come round, there were a few pathetic pleas for help, why's and pitiful screams for help from Jasper's annoying little wife. That had quickly given way to totally over the top crying and groaning. I never made that much noise when I suffered my own loses.

Her collapse from the toilet meant that I had to collect some of the mess from the floor. The bitch had tried to kick me as I nudged her out of the way. A quick glance and an educated guess had told me she had been ten to eleven weeks. I didn't do what I did purely out of malice and dislike. Even if she had been more agreeable and I had allowed the marriage, Marshall was not a woman suited to the life of a titled man. She did not have the breeding, the training, the patience. I really had been doing her a favour…ungrateful bitch.

"_Carlisle will never forgive you." _She had said a brief show of spirit. That had thrown me a little because I knew she was right. And he had shown a truly incredible level of anger and disrespect towards me, but all I needed was more time…I could talk Carlisle round…he was my son, he had hurt me, but I would bear my suffering, take my punishment, wait until he calmed down, wait he until he saw what a manipulative little whore Marshall was. He would, I knew he would…he would come back to me…he was my son.

**CARLISLE POV**

"_Carlisle…what's wrong baby?" Mae had muttered sleepily down the phone._

"_Apart from the fact I'm missing you so much it hurts…"_

_She huffed a sleepy laugh._

"_I miss you too my darling…but I will be home soon…"_

_Mae had only been gone two days, but she had already "persuaded" Marcus to find out and give her a definite return date. Two weeks…_

"_I know and I am counting the days…but…I'm sorry Mae…I need you…" I had breathed raggedly._

"_Carlisle…what is it? What's wrong?" Mae had demanded, sleep forgotten, her voice and thoughts full of nothing but her love and concern for me._

"_I'm going to talk to my mother…" I whispered, ashamed at how weak I sounded. I heard Mae's breath catch. "You were so damn brave…I can only imagine how that felt…and I know you have more to say to her…but I have to…it's too damn late but…"_

"_I love you…" she had said._

"_Say it again."_

"_I love you so much and I'm so damn proud of you…this is for us Carlisle…our future together…" she said roughly._

"_But I'm still a fucking coward, I want…need to leave the line open…I need to feel you with me…here you breathing…"_

"_Together Carlisle…she is nothing…another criminal…and everyone knows that scaring the shit out of criminals is something we do best together." Mae said fiercely._

I had never needed the strength Mae gave me more than I did now, but I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the anger, fear and shame I felt at taking away the strength that I knew Mae drew and relied on from me as well. We were supposed to be a team, but my bloody weakness was threatening to brake us…for good.

"_Carlisle! Darling…I knew you'd come…you were angry…I'm still very cross at you…but we can…" Jane said rising to her feet as I entered the room,_

"_Sit down." I had snapped quietly._

"_Carlisle…I'll only tolerate your rudeness for so long."_

_She was serious. The crazy, delusional bitch was serious._

"_That wasn't rudeness mother…that was me thanking you for the wake up call from fucking hell…for finally revealing yourself to be the sick, twisted, heartless evil bitch that everyone has been telling me you were…"_

"_Carlisle please…" she whimpered clutching at her chest._

"_Please…please what? Please try to understand why you terrorized the woman I love…left her for dead? Please try and understand why you killed my child…your grandchild?" I hissed _

"_Son…"_

"_It's Detective Chief Superintendent Cullen or SIR…" I had exploded raising from my chair and slapping the table viciously. I took savage pleasure in seeing her recoil in fear._

"_You are not a mother…you are a disgrace to the women who actually love, nurture…"_

"_I love you! I have always loved you!" she cried._

_I leant further forward over the desk forcing her back against her chair._

"_You actually believe that don't you…you actually believe the lies that fall from your mouth…" I said in disbelief._

"_It's the truth…"_

"_You don't know the meaning of the word woman…you never loved me…you brainwashed me…controlled me, smothered me, manipulated me…used me…to keep a title, a house…and I let you…I let you terrorize the woman I love…"_

"_She wasn't…she…"_

"_She is everything to me…she is despite your best efforts…still my friend, my confidante, my lover…" I spat enjoying seeing her flinch over the word. "And I will spend the rest of my life trying to make her as happy as she makes me…she will be my wife…she will be the mother to my children…she is a real woman…she is…will be everything a wife…a partner should be…because she is my partner…we will have a long and happy future and maybe one day…if she wants…I will stand proudly by her side as she is announced as Lady Esme Cullen."_

_After our conversation, I was able to move the unmoving figure of my mother from infront of the bathroom door, but the sight that awaited me when I finally managed to kick the door open had me waking screaming in a cold sweat. Mae in her wedding dress lying deathly still in the centre of a pool of blood. I dropped to my knees pulling her too me, her eyes opened and widened in horror as she looked over my shoulder. I turned my head to see Talbot about to bring the ashtray down on my head again. Mae fisted my shirt._

"_Don't leave me Carlisle…don't leave me wi_th them…" _she pleaded_

**JASPER POV**

"It could be a hoax."

"Who else knows what's going on, that Carlisle is involved?"

"But why would Talbot do something so stupid?"

"According to TC, he's getting pissed off about Talbot hiding him away…treating him like the idiot he is…this was his big attempt to show the boss that he was still useful…a man." I said.

"Theirson has gone to a lot of trouble already to try and slow DCS Cullen down, get him off the case…surely Talbot…" Jake trailed off.

"Killing a copper, especially as high a profile one as Carlisle…Thierson would never be able to do whatever it is he has planned…shit he'd never be able to show his face in criminal circles again…too much of a liability…" I explained patiently,how long did it take to get to the end of the road where the car had been stolen from to check for blood stains? I thought impatiently.

An hour ago, an anonymous tip had been phoned into the station saying that Carlisle was in the trunk of the BMW of Number 84…which had been stolen.

"So…someone tips Theirson that DCS Cullen and Talbot are fighting, he sends Felix round to break it up…and he dumps…the boss in the boot of the car."

"Guys…I'm ready to grasp at straws however thin and I've seen crazier things over the years…but I think it would be Talbot rather than Felix that would have chosen to dump him there…the humiliation…a last dig."

"But…the boss is a big guy…fit, he wouldn't let Talbot or Felix take him anywhere…"

"We have to assume that Carlisle is…injured." I said quietly

Emmett appeared in the doorway of the house, his face grim. He didn't have to say anything…Carlisle was injured, according to the amount of blood in the house and by the car, which Emmett had tested at top speed, badly…and in the boot of a car stolen by god knows who, going god knows where.

There was nothing more we could do at the house, Talbot and Felix were long gone and there was still nothing we could pin on Theirson. We moved back to the station and began pushing the already tired uniforms to begin the search for the car…which could be anywhere…in any state…and even if we found it...

Which we did. Two hours later just outside Brighton. The two joy riders had been stoned, the road wet, the line painting vehicle had tried to get out of the way, but the BMW had mounted it, flipped and plunged down the embankment.

**AN;**

**Okay, I know some of you will probably prefer the other draft with Mae. But hopefully you can find something in this to like, trust me, saving Mae will pay off at the end of the story.**

**Dirty Harry was a tough cop character played by Clint Eastwood in the 70's early 80's. He wasn't afraid to use his gun.**

**Now if you are still reading after this and would like to vote for this story in the Bring Me to Life Awards here is the address.**

**www(dot)bringmetolifeawards(dot)weebly(dot)com**


	8. Chapter 8

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT-I have a nomination for a Dr McDreamy Bring me To Life Award. Amazing! www(dot)bringmetolifeawards(dot)weebly(dot)com**

**AN-IMPORTANT PLEASE READ BEOFRE YOU GO ANY FURTHER**

**Okay, so…I'm holding my hands up…I'm guilty-NOT of killing Mae. I'm not that cruel! I had dental surgery Thursday morning and was given some of those freakily strong painkillers. I thought I had slept off the worst of the drowsiness they caused. But obviously I didn't because I posted the WRONG draft of Chap 7. I always write at least 3 for each chapter-that's what takes me so long. The main body of the chap is still same pretty much, but it's not Mae who's meant to be in danger in Chap 7-that comes later-it's Carlisle. So I have re-posted Chap 7 and for this chapter-chap8 to make sense I really think you need to go back and re-read it…pretty please. I know I'm a pain and you may hate the actual draft, but all I can say is that saving Mae in Chap 7, sets things up for a final, fiery face off between Mae and Jane**

**ESME POV**

_The interview room was dark, apart from the overly bright light that was shining in my eyes. I knew Carlisle was in the room, but I couldn't physically see him, just his shadow which was looming and falling over me._

"_Why Mae? Why did you kill our baby?" he demanded, his voice low and cold._

"_I…I didn't…" I had stammered desperately._

"_Liar! You're a lying bitch…you killed our baby and then you ran away…" he bellowed, banging his hands down on the desk and leaning forward on his arms until we were face to face. His eyes were dark and dangerous in his pale face._

"_Carlisle no…I couldn't…I wouldn't…please…don't you know how much I love you?" I had stammered tearfully grabbing at his arms. It was then I noticed that my hands were covered in blood. Looking down in horror, I saw I was wearing my wedding dress and that that too was spattered in blood. Carlisle turned on his heel and stalked from the room, I could see that he was in his wedding outfit._

"_CARLISLE! It was her…I wouldn't do that to you…to us…CARLISLE!" I screamed as I rounded the table and chased after him. I see him enter Harrowview house and as always, I chase after him and as always he doesn't stop. But this time instead of having the door slammed in my face, it's left open._

"_MAE…HELP ME MAE…PLEASE HELP ME"! Carlisle's desperate voice calls echoing round the empty hall like a deafening thunderclap._

"_WHERE ARE YOU? CARLISLE…WHERE ARE YOU? ANSWER ME…ANSWER ME…PLEASE…WHERE ARE YOU?" I scream._

_I race round the house trying to find exactly where his voice is coming from, but the longer I take, the softer, but more desperate his voice becomes._

"_Please Mae…please…"_

"_Where are you? Please tell me…where are you?" I sob as I collapse exhausted on the floor of the main entrance hall where I started._

"MAE! MAE! WAKE UP…" Rose calls shaking me back into the reality that at this moment seems even worse than the nightmare. It takes me a minute to focus and compose myself, I didn't even remember coming to bed or falling asleep, the last thing I remember is hearing Edward desperately trying to keep his composure as he told me that Carlisle was missing. The words had taken what felt like forever to sink in…the fear that gripped me had squeezed the air from my lungs, rendering me speechless…until I crawled gratefully back behind my professional shell. I had been in the phone to the team, even I think ordering them to make sure that Jane didn't have him. We were all terrified, but we seemed to draw strength from each other. As the hours passed, giving us nothing to do but think…remember…fear for the future the shells already brittle had begun to crack. The thought of a life without him…

Please god please god…please…mom…don't take him from me please…not now we've only just got each other back please. I plead in a final prayer.

"Hello." I whisper.

"Mae."

My heart spasmed painfully before I swear it stopped.

"Carlisle…is that…please tell me I'm not still dreaming…please." I beg, barely able to talk or even breathe for the tears coursing down my cheeks.

"It's me my darling…I'm here…I'm really here…"

"Are you…alright?"

"I'll be better when you're home here with me…where you belong."

The feeling was mutual…I needed to go home. I needed to see, feel Carlisle was really safe for myself. We had worked too damn hard, gone through too much to waste anymore time of our forever, especially as it had been down to the grace of god and my mom and Aro answering my thousands of frantic prayers that Carlisle had survived to share it with me. After a fight with James Talbot, an unconscious Carlisle had been dumped in the boot of a car…which had been stolen. For hours we had known nothing…all of us tormented by our worst fears…then the car had been found…at the bottom of a motorway embankment.

I remember feeling the plastic of my phone crack beneath my hand as I heard the news as Jasper had gently given me the details. I hadn't tried to hold back the sobs that escaped me when a tired and emotional Carlisle had told me that he had felt my hands over his as he had worked his bonds loose and felt my extra strength give him the power to kick open the lid of the trunk and hurl himself out into the last suburban high street the car had driven down before hitting the motorway.

He had cuts, bruises, cracked ribs and a nasty concussion…but he could have been like those two boys…he could have died…alone…The overwhelming horror of that thought only seemed to strengthen the thoughts that had been haunting me for awhile

I was officially SCI liason officer, until after this case was over and until Carlisle and I…made the next step. A step that I was becoming more certain that we both needed to make together, that we needed to shove into a certain twisted old bitches face.

"Emmett says Carlisle's been a real "charmer" with his temporary assistant…" she giggled "to his new temporary liason officer." Rose said conversationally in a blatant attempt to take my mind off the seemingly never ending Washington traffic that was holding up our journey to the airport. If I thought the hours Carlisle had been missing had been long, the extra week I was forced to stay in Washington to finish giving evidence at the Grand Jury and do some necessary admin for my transfer at Langley.

Whilst there was a part of me that was glad that he missed me, missed our working relationship, there was another part that wanted to slap the spoilt, pouting little brat out of him. It wasn't all his fault, Jane was still in his head…but why was he still listening?

"Emmie's very good at her job, thorough but fast…she's very tough as well…"

"Oh she's shown that! She took Carlisle down during one of the training sessions…twice…but that's only put them both in a bad mood with each other…him with her for actually taking him down and her with him for not putting in as much effort…she says it's no fun being able to brag about taking down Carlisle Cullen when you know his heart wasn't in it."

"Talking of Em's…how is yours?"

"He's okay…his temp assistant isn't so bad apparently and at least it's a guy." I still couldn't believe that Rose would fear that she had any competition for Emmett's affections. "Only problem is, he's young…he hangs on Em's every word, lets him ramble…drag things out…set my training programme back months…" Rose laughed

"Training programme?" I sputterd into my juice.

"Uh huh! All men are dogs…but you can train them to behave and do as their told." She said sagely. It took me a minute to see her grin.

"Some crazy woman on Dr Phil…god I hate day time TV…"

"Carlisle loves it…"

"Is there anything else I can get you madam?" the air hostess asked pleasantly.

"No…thanks…" I smiled. The only thing I wanted was still thousands of miles away. All I could do was snuggle into one of the supply of Carlisle's shirts I had bought with me back to the States, they still smelled faintly of clean linen musk and a scent that was purely Carlisle. I picked up my book, flicking the pages idily, dislodging my book mark

_It was a copy of one of my favourite photographs of Carlisle and I, dressed for a black tie event, the relaunch of Alice's store. Carlisle's tie was loose, his hair slightly ruffled, but it was the look in his eye, he looked so relaxed, happy as he grinned for the camera, his arms wrapped round me. I was looking at Carlisle rather than the camera, my head thrown back a little in laughter. I still couldn't believe that the happy, relaxed…totally besotted woman in the picture was me. Alice had been coping pretty well since the raid, although there were still understandable moments of panic. Alice, Jasper, Rose and I had been in her large homely kitchen eating dinner, laughing and joking. Rose and Jasper were clearing the table and had collided with each other jogging the table. It had sent a wine glass falling to the floor. Alice had practically leapt the work top in her attempt to hide from the noise of shattering glass. And on another occasion, Jasper's car had broken down, he and Emmett had been outside tinkering with it and revving the engine. I had noticed Alice becoming a little agitated, but after a few more long moments she had stormed outside_

"_Just call a fucking engineer…please…" she had screamed hurling the phone viciously at Jasper's head._

_The structural damage to Alice's store had been pretty extensive, a lot of the buildings in Hatton Garden were pretty old, Alice's included. But that was a mere detail to the little pixie whose greatest therapy seemed to be rebuilding better and stronger. "What can I say? You inspired me." She had sang happily one night when I asked her about it. Carlisle and I didn't have as much time as we would have liked, but we were making every moment we did have privately count. Doing silly couple things like grocery shopping and arguing over what to watch on TV, the man loved his soap operas. We also bickered, but were still pulling our punches still a little frightened that one of us would say something that would scare the other one away again._

_Alice's original store had been called "Wonderland", but it was now simply know as W. It was extremely chic, her clientele had grown and become even more exclusive since Bella Swan had worn one of her pieces at a recent premiere. Carlisle and Edward had also been "persuaded" by Alice to invite their few liked and trusted society friends. But there was also a welcoming atmosphere that was rare in exclusive stores. But it was the atmosphere between Carlisle and I that night that I remembered most clearly. I had arrived at his apartment a little early, to hear him swearing profusely in the bathroom._

"_Okay…you really have been hanging out with TC and Emmett far too much." I had laughed as I walked into the bathroom to find him in his tux minus the jacket and fighting with his bow tie. He had stopped swearing, stopped moving, stopped even breathing I was thought._

"_What?" I had asked._

"_You…you look…"_

"_I know…I did tell Alice this dress was too much…I'm not a gown person…" I had stuttered, embarrassed under his intense gaze. The dress was black with a lace edged gypsy style neckline and a rather daring slit up the front, I was showing quite a bit of leg even with the wispy strands of grey and black material that lined the slit._

"_If I had my way…you'd wear nothing but…Mae…you look stunning…" Carlisle had breathed, his eyes full of love, pride and lust._

"_You don't scrub up so bad your self your Lordship…" I said quickly, trying to focus on his tie. The feel of Carlisle's hands on my bare shoulders combined with the look in his eye had caused a soft moan to escape me_

"_As much as I'd rather be taking that dress off you right now…I need you to know…you look breathtakingly beautiful…and I will be honoured to be your escort tonight…" Carlisle said softly raising one hand to ghost his fingers up my neck and across my cheek before lowering his head and laying butterfly kisses along my bare shoulder and my neck a soft moan escaping him sending his warm breath across my hot, sensitive skin._

"_Thankyou…my Lord…" I breathed my head falling back a little, a louder moan escaped me as he sucked gently on my pulse point._

"_You're very welcome…my lady…" he growled emphasizing the last words, not removing his lips from my skin but looking up at me from beneath his lashes. My body was on fire with need and love but we did make it to the party. Alice was in her element and we were all so happy for her, she had been through so much and she wasn't totally over her ordeal, but we were all determined to try to love and support our little "good fairy" as much as she had all of us over the years. Carlisle wasn't a huge fan of such formal gatherings but he did start to enjoy himself. I knew that the insecurities my father had bred in me and Jane's taunts that I would never be good enough for Carlisle, that I didn't have the breeding, manners…anything I needed to be good enough to stand by his side would always haunt me. But that night, the confidence I had gained from the look of pride and adoration on his face when he looked at me, when he introduced me to people, his intensely loving and increasingly lustful gaze that I could feel searing my skin from across the room, had made me feel amazing._

_Emmett's attempts to suppress his loud booming laugh had drawn us towards Emmett and Rose, who had turned nearly every male head in the room when she had arrived in an elegant wine coloured gown that showed just what a beautiful woman she was. Emmett's couldn't take his eyes off of her, or the smile from his face. Rose was a little quiet, such a busy and intensely noisy area was hard for her to navigate and she gladly just this once allowed Emmett to guide and protect her._

"_What's so funny?" Carlisle hissed._

"_Rosie's been lip reading…" Emmett giggled. Rose looked a little sheepish._

"_I can't really join in any of the conversations properly and there are so many interesting people here…"_

"_Anything good?" Carlisle asked with a grin._

"_I don't know…soap operas and gossip…you can be such a woman at times…" I huffed with a laugh, Carlisle scowled at me sarcastically_

"_He cries at Oprah too." Jasper said as she joined us._

"_Do not!" Carlisle pouted._

"_Don't worry sweetheart…I know it was only something in your eye." I teased as I slipped my arm round his waist. Carlisle pulled a whatever face at me before kissing the end of my nose sweetly, I nipped the end of his chin._

"_Okay you two you can suck face later…do you wanna know what's going on or not?" Emmett grumped._

"_I do!" Alice sang happily as she joined us and draped herself round Jasper. She like the rest of us wasn't drunk…just a little loose and relaxed, something we rarely were lately and we wouldn't be for a long while to come._

"_Well he is trying every cheesy chat up line he knows to get into her pants…"_

"_But he's like nearly seventy and she is…" Alice and I squeaked horrified as we observed the well known TV actor and starlet ._

"_He's trying to get up the nerve to ask you for a discount on a ring he wants to buy his new mistress…seems the wife, two kids and his other mistress are stretching his finances…"_

"_You guys do know that his other mistresses are a pre op trans sexual and a cross dressing comedian?" Jasper asked lazily._

"_Which one?" Alice, Rose and I demanded in unison._

"_And of course your need to know this is in no way a need for gossip?" Carlisle teased. I pinched his side._

"_Not at all…if I do give him a discount…I want to make sure it's for someone where there is a chance it could be seen in the papers or on TV." Alice said seriously, but with a wicked smile twitching her lips._

"_Good for you baby keeping your eye on business…I'm going to be taking up some very expensive hobbies when I retire at forty and live the life of lesuire funded by my creative genius of a wife." Jasper said kissing Alice lightly. _

"_Well I think Alice may be spending quite a bit of money when she gets that chaise steam cleaned…" Rose snarked. "She's not wearing underwear." She smirked airily waving her glass in the direction of the young socialite sat on a nearby chaise lounge._

"_That…is…an…antique…not…some…park…bench…for…skanky…" Alice spluttered as she shot off in the direction of the poor girl._

"_But this is my favourite…Eddie and Miss Bella Swan." Emmett growled, discretion was forgotten as we all turned to see a very handsome looking Edward chatting in corner with Bella Swan who had arrived discreetly._

"_How's he doing?" Jasper and Carlisle asked_

"_It's painful…he's trying all his smooth lines and she is either laughing or shooting him down in flames." Emmett laughed._

"_You're cold." Carlisle said as he appeared behind me on the balcony of his apartment later that night._

"_I won't be if you get over here and warm me up." I said holding out my hand._

"_Not that I don't love every chance to warm you up…but is there a reason we're standing out here so late?" he asked wrapping me in his arms._

"_It's been such a wonderful…fun night…I don't want it to end yet…" I had sighed. It had been the truth, I had never felt so happy, I hadn't seen Carlisle so relaxed in a long time. During those agonizing hours when not knowing what was happening with Carlisle and being so far away had given me nothing but time to think…the worst…how I couldn't live without him. I had prayed that if Carlisle really had died and that if the saying was true and his life had flashed before his eyes, he had seen this memory…where we were so happy…so in love. Please let him see how much I love him, how happy he made me please…let him see that he was a good, wonderful man…more than he ever believed…more than I ever believed I would ever find…ever would deserve_

_I had had to leave the apartment to face the Grand Jury, I had done my job, held it together, but on the way home I had felt myself losing it. In desperation, I had stumbled into a church, it's what everyone did isn't it when you're in trouble, when you want something. He's meant to hear us all, listen when we are desperate and I had been. Desperate and terrified of facing a forever without him_

"_Please…please…don't take him…from his friends…from his family…from me…I…I love him…with everything I have…I need him…he needs me…he loves me…don't take him…please…please…he's a good man…a really good man…he's not perfect…but he's good, kind, loving, giving…in his soul. He's been through so much…we've both been through so much…we've earned our happiness…please don't take it…take him before we can enjoy it…please…" I had sobbed staring at the altar. The ferocity of my sobs had terrified the old priest who looked thrilled when Rose had come to collect me_

"_Dance with me..." he had said huskily. I could see him standing on the balcony hand held out to me. I was still in my seat but I held out my hand towards him and felt myself shiver as I felt the heat of his hand spread through my body, cause my heart to sputter in my chest. I feel you my darling…I feel you…_

_I had removed my hands from round his wait and ran them up his chest wrapping one round his neck the other in his hair. The look in his eyes was bone meltingly intense, there was lust…but there was also something so much more tender._

"_We…we don't have any music…"I whispered as I felt my body flood with the heat of desire and the overwhelming but impossible need to be closer to him. Our bodies were entwined with not even the smallest gap between us._

"_Can't you hear it?"_

"_What?" I had asked confused._

"_Our song…" he said before starting to quietly croon John Legend's Ordinary People. Laying my head against his chest, I allowed myself to be wrapped in and warmed by his deep rich voice serenade me as we swayed gently. Our need for each other becoming more obvious._

_**I know I misbehaved **_

_**And you made your mistakes**_

_**And we both still got room to grow**_

_**And though love sometimes hurts**_

_**I'll still put you first**_

_**And we'll make this thing work**_

_**But I think we should take it slow**_

_**We're just Ordinary people.**_

Glancing across, I saw that Rose was asleep, she wanted to be well rested for her reunion with Emmett. I had known Rose for quite a while, she had become more than a friend, especially after she had taken me in and cared for me when I had been hurt and had no-one else to turn to. I had never seen her as open, as emotional, as confused, excited or scared as she was with Emmett. I was no one to talk, but both Carlisle and I had been worried about how intense and fast their relationship had become, especially as a move to London would not be as easy for Rose as it was for me. But the more we watched them, the more we knew that they would find a way to make it work…they really were each other's better halves…they each had their own demons, they fought and drove each other crazy but already, there was no fear in their relationship…they had so much trust. I envied them.

I had always wanted a love like that but seeing the horror that my mother went through meant that when I found it and more with Carlisle, I couldn't trust in it. I was worried about being "acceptable" for his rank, but on a more basic level, I was just worried about not being enough for him. He was such a powerful, charismatic, passionate man…I knew I equaled and maybe bettered him on a professional level, but privately and Carlisle's own problems had meant that Jane had easily been able to chip away at the fragile trust we had.

But that had changed now…I had said that we had needed time to develop and we had further than we had the first time. Our limited times together had made us more intense, more eager to work on our problems ourselves. But what happened to Carlisle had strengthened the fears that the intensity of the Theirson case had forced from the dark, overcrowded recesses of my mind where the nightmares lived. We might not have enough time to fix our problems and I really didn't want to waste any more time on the past…time we could spend really living…feeling, loving.

_I still couldn't believe that Paul had turned up…he had had to get drunk first to give him the courage…but he had despite everything he had tracked me down to try and take care of me. He was a good man…a good friend…I was a bitch for marrying him when I knew deep down that what I felt for him was not love…not the proper love a husband and wife should feel for each other. He had made me laugh…the first proper laugh that had had in god knows how long, he had listened to me held me when as he said I had woken up screaming and best of all he hadn't pushed me to explain. He knew it was to do with Carlisle…but like most people who speculated, his scenarios didn't even come close to the truth._

_Carlisle had hit him…twice…he could see, he knew that even with drunk strength Paul was no threat…but his inner caveman fired up by the nagging fears we were both too nervous to voice had exploded. And for the first time I was a little scared of Carlisle…seeing that nasty, arrogant jealous side to him that his mother had created. I had seen irrational jealousy and the damage the temper that went with it._

"_Spoilt, arrogant and demanding I knew…but a possessive, malicious bully…that's a new one…" I spat when we arrived back at the apartment to carry on the argument that had blown up outside._

"_Well…you know where the door is." He sneered slopping wine from the bottle on the table into a glass keeping his back towards me. His words stung with the force of a slap, but I knew we needed this…we had to rip open a few more wounds, re-stitch them and let them heal properly this time._

"_I said it was a new thing for you…I've met plenty of other possessive malicious bullies who could teach you a few things…"_

"_And what did they teach you Mae? That it was fair…the ladylike thing to do to lead on a lap dog like Paul?" Carlisle had shot back spinning to face me where I was standing in the kitchen area._

"_No Carlisle…they taught me how to really read men…learn which ones were truly evil…hopeless cases…which ones were good, kind genuine men…"_

"_Makes you wonder why you ever got divorced doesn't it? If Paul was such a kind, genuine man who you were having such a healthy grown up relationship with" Carlisle sneered with a look on his face that I just wanted to punch off. Instead, I had thrown one of the pots we had used for the Sunday dinner we had prepared and shared with the others. He had dodged it and backed up slightly when I began stalking towards him eyes blazing._

"_I divorced Paul for the same reason you broke up with Angie…he wasn't you…You're not perfect Carlisle…that bitch of a mother of yours has really done a number on you…leaving you with some nasty traits…but you aren't evil…or a hopeless case…you are a man…a man who has a soul…a conscience …a heart…that belongs to me… and I want it back once and for all." I said lowly. I was standing right in front of him now and me being in flat shoes meant he did loom over me a little…but I wasn't frightened, as he found out when I ripped his shirt open sending buttons flying across the floor. The stunned look in his eyes quickly gave way to an almost animalistic look of lust as I grazed my teeth across the skin over his heart, before kissing and sucking at the inflamed skin._

"_Fuck! He hissed twisting his hands in my hair and pulling me a little roughly away from him so he could look in my face. He really did look like he wanted to eat me and it had turned me on more than I ever imagined. "You've always had it…you ripped it out and took it with you seven years ago…but I don't want it back…it belongs with you…it only works…feels when it's with you..."_

_Our lips had crashed together roughly, messily._

"_I guess it's only fair…seeing as I left mine with you…" I breathed round the edge of our kiss. Carlisle had pulled away._

"_And you're not getting it back." he growled and before I knew what had happened my shirt and bra had been ripped away and he had lifted me. With a moan as my heat and his arousal came into contact, I wrapped my legs around him, gripping his shoulders._

"_You may not be a Lady in the titled sense…but you aren't a tramp either…you are a passionate…loving…kind…infuriating, difficult, opinionated woman…but you are everything I ever wanted…will ever want or need…We aren't perfect Mae…we are despite everything ordinary people…there will be times…we want to kick each other's asses…"_

"_Right now all I want to kick are these damn jeans off…" I had moaned in response to him punctuating his words with kisses, licks, nips and sucks to my chest and breasts. With a dark chuckle he had thrown me down on the sofa and dragged my jeans off. I had beat him to his belt and teased a little as I undid it and kissed and licked his stomach. He remained standing infront of me as he kicked them off. Holding his hips, I lay kisses on his outer and inner thighs._

"_Get on your knees…" he growled. I had been a little taken aback by the unusual tone to his command. I had never seen Carlisle like this…but I still hadn't been scared. I had done as he asked._

"_Turn round."_

_Carlisle had taken me like this before, but not with such abandon…he had been cautious…a gentleman…I knew he would never hurt me…but I had seen in his eyes that the gentle was gone…he was just a man. And I wanted him. I turned and held onto the edge of the sofa as Carlisle reached under my hips and pulled me back with one hand and began deep sweeps from my neck, down along my spine before coming to rest on my ass. He positioned his body over mine and began kissing my neck and shoulder._

"_I'm not always a nice man Mae…but I am a man…your man…is that enough…am I enough? Am I too much?" he had growled in my ear._

"_Yes…no…I…" I had whimpered, the feel of his body seeming to consume me, the feel of his tip at my entrance, the emotion in his words, my words had left my head spinning._

"_What is it Mae? What do you need?"_

"_You…I need you…I want you…" I had moaned trying to push back against him as he tormented me some more by moving against my entrance, coating himself in my wet heat, but not actually entering me._

"_For always…"_

_The feel of him thrusting strongly inside me finally, meant that it took a minute for me to be able to focus on the desperate, anxious tone to his voice._

"_And…forever…" I breathed turning my head and claiming his mouth with mine pouring all my love into that kiss._

"Okay…but you are giving both me and the cab driver waaaay too much information about the hot make up sex you plan of having once you have kicked his ass from one end of the station to the other a few times." Rose hissed leaning over and digging me in the ribs.

"What?...Oh…shit…sorry…" I replied, feeling the heat from my lustful memory increase in intensity as I began to blush under the gaze of the cab driver, who was almost licking his lips at the sight of me with one hand in a caress of my neck and the other on my upper thigh.

Wanting to be out of the cab as soon as possible, we told the driver to drop us at the end of the road where the pub was situated. We didn't, despite their protests, want to drag the boys away from work to pick us up, especially when we had to check in first and do some necessary paperwork to formalize our permanent transfers to the London office.

I had also needed the extra time to gather the million different thoughts and feelings running round my head into some sort of order. We had made the promises to each other, sworn that we wanted our forever together…we had tackled our biggest damn nightmare…she wasn't totally gone and I wouldn't feel totally safe until she was a pile of ashes, which Carlisle had promised me I could flush down the toilet if I wished, in a tone that wasn't entirely joking. We were getting there…getting stronger…but she was still in his head dripping her poison

"YOU COULD OF FUCKING DIED!"

It wasn't until an almost deafening silence had descended around us and I felt the throbbing pain in my hand and the stickiness of his blood…that I realized that I had walked into the pub and instead of rushing into Carlisle's arms…I had punched him in the nose.

"I…oh…Fuck!" I hissed, unable to speak thanks to the lump of hot angry and embarrassed tears that were almost choking me. Turning on my heel I fled, ignoring the desperate pleas from Rose and Alice. I wasn't sure where I was going, I just kept running until I found myself sitting on a swing in a small children's playground at the top of the road. Why the hell had I done that? He wouldn't be able to move past the damage she'd done straight away…if ever totally…we knew this…I knew this. But I had been so damn scared

I wasn't sure how long I had been sitting there when Carlisle appeared waving his white handkerchief in a gesture of peace. His nose was swollen and the skin under his nose pink from where the blood had been scrubbed away.

"Did I break it?"

"Edward doesn't think so."

"Shame." I had snapped a little more sharply than I meant.

"I missed you too." He replied sarcastically as he lowered himself onto the swing next to me.

"We promised…that nothing would come between us…that we wouldn't let anything come between us…but you…you…" I said quietly trailing off at the end as I became more and more agitated

"I was doing my job."

"Bullshit!" I spat as I sprung up. "You were doing your fucking vigilante super cop act…WHY? You had just been cleared to go back to work…you had the chance to use the team. We had faced down your mother…the bitch may not get as long as we like, but she's done…finished…ruined…you didn't just cut the apron strings, you fucking ripped them off and choked her with them. And I got to wipe that creepily smug smile off her face…humiliate her… We even had our first proper fight and lived to tell the tale…" I raged.

" And if I remember…we agreed to take each other good and bad…this was one of my bad…weak moments. I was scared…despite everything we've done…how far we've come…I was scared that you weren't coming back…that something would happen…because it can Mae. Yeah I went all John Wayne…but something like this could happen anytime in our jobs no matter how careful we are…" he replied looking up at me from beneath his lashes. My heart clenched painfully in my chest as his words only reinforced my own fears.

"I want our forever Mae…I'm fucking desperate for it…but I was scared…am still scared that we won't get it…that there won't be enough time…or that Jane…what she took from you…you'll wake up one day and want to run again…I hate her Mae…I despise her and it felt amazing to finally let it out, tell her, see her face…but she's still in here…" he said roughly as he poked at the side of his head. "I'm still the emotional bloody coward too frightened to actually relax and enjoy something…incase she comes along and sucks all the joy, fun, life out of it out of me."

I walked over and stood in front of him, he looked up at me, I couldn't fight it anymore, I needed to touch him, feel that he was really here with me. I wrapped his arms round my legs, placing his hands on my ass. Carlisle looked a little shy and uncertain, but there was a smirk twitching his lips. I rested my hands in his hair, letting my fingers revel in the feel of it.

"Marry me." I said quietly.

A million different emotions flickered across Carlisle's face and for a minute I was worried he wasn't breathing. Please god he felt the same way, I hadn't read what he said wrong. Had I?

"But…you wanted time…"

"Carlisle…you're right…what you said…we're not like Rose and Em…we don't have the luxury or the certainty of the time that they have to develop as a couple…that's not to say that we won't still be…learning, developing as a couple…but however long our forever actually turns out to be…and I'm still aiming for old and grey boring our grandchildren…" I trailed off softly, my hands stroking the contours of his face "But…however long…I want, need to spend it as…your wife…"

"God we really are amazing together…" he huffed with a chuckle as he pulled away from me slightly and reached into the pocket of his leather jacket. He held the small black box which had Alice's new silver W logo in the center in the palm of his hand.

"She assures me you'll love it…I hope you do…because she's put hits out on every other possible jeweler in London that we could have gone too."

I couldn't help the tearful laughter that escaped me. The ring was intricately woven bands of platinum, a sculpted C and E flanked the elegant diamond in the setting.

"It's beautiful." I breathed.

"Thankgod…the jewelers of London can stop looking over their shoulders." He laughed.

"Carlisle…say it…please…" I whispered, it was stupid, but I needed to hear him say it. Standing, he took the ring from its box and took my shaking left hand in his.

"Yes…I do…I will…I'd be honoured." He breathed as he slipped the ring on my finger. His eyes, shining in the dim light with love and joy.

"I love you…so much…" I said my eyes blurry with tears. Carlisle bent to kiss me, but pulled back a little hissing when our noses bumped.

"I'm not sorry…you deserved it for doing something so damn stupid…scaring me to death…but I will kiss it better later if you want…like a good little wife…along with any other painful areas you may have." I teased. I was in for a long night. His face was swollen, and not just from me. The fresh cuts and bruises from what happened on his body made me want to weep.

"I think I'm going to like being married…Mae I know the others will hate us…but I don't want to wait whilst Alice creates a masterpiece…I want us to be married as soon as possible…just us…a couple of witnesses…we can have a big blessing later…after everything with Thierson and…settles…when we have time to really enjoy it and a long honeymoon somewhere so hot that if you really do have to get dressed it's in a bikini."

We walked back to the pub, entering separately through different doors, faces impassive. Five pairs of anxious eyes fixed on us.

"Oh for heavens sake…yes Mummy and Daddy had a fight, but it's all over now and we still love you very much…" Carlisle growled with a smile.

Even though it might not seem like it when you find out what were planning I thought. They were all thrilled about our engagement Alice's squeal almost shattered the glasses on the bar.

We agreed on a Christmas ceremony at Harrowview village church. It meant a lot to Carlisle and I had thought it beautiful the first time and still thought so. We wouldn't be going anywhere near the house, we would be using the house of Aro's best friend in the next village who hated Jane almost as much as we did. It would be strange, emotional…but we both felt that it was the best way to finally face and bury some of the horrors of that day. I had told Carlisle that the only time I would enter that house again would be when Jane had been carried out of feet first. But as hard as it may be, we would both be able to draw strength from the gold bands we would already be wearing and the vows that we would be making later today to the most important people…each other.

Carlisle had spent the night before the ceremony together, there was nothing odd in that we often slept over at each other's places. Carlisle was still stressed over what he had gone through. He had been cleared fit for duty by the Force's shrink, but there were still the usual side effects to such a traumatic incident to get over. I was just so glad I was there to help him and that he was actually talking to me, letting me help him when the nightmares interrupted his sleep or he tensed up getting into the close confines of an elevator. But it was an older trauma that was affecting us both the night before the wedding. It had been a long day at work so we didn't go out as we had planned, we cooked, well Carlisle cooked and I got in his way, teased him, touched him at every possible moment. He was here, safe with me, we were going to get married, I was actually going to be Mrs Carlisle Cullen, the night as fun as it was, seemed to drag on forever. Carlisle was feeling tense as well, he wouldn't let me out of his sight, not that I minded too much. An earlier spa appointment had meant that all I had to do in the bath I had run for myself was relax. The warm water and mountain of scented bubbles did help relax my tired and aching muscles.

Carlisle had appeared at the door of the bathroom leaning with that casual sexy confidence that always went straight to my core. He didn't speak, just let his eyes hungrily rake over me.

"See something you like?" I asked quietly, running a soapy hand down my chest.

"I know keeping a little mystery in a marriage is good…but that…" he said waving his hand towards me and the bubbles that were surrounding me. "it's just cruel…to tease…" he growled a sexy smirk twitching his lips.

"Well, it's only till tomorrow night…then you get to see…everything" I purred raising my leg out of the water a little and splashing the bubbles around. Carlisle's growl became a deeper as he ran a hand through his hair. Necessity and a little fear meant that nothing about our small wedding was going to be that traditional, but we both had agreed that we would like to wait and make the next time we made love, our first as a married couple.

"I've never been the most patient of people…could never wait to unwrap my presents at Christmas…always had to give them a shake…a squeeze.. try and figure out what was under the wrapping."

"But you've…you've already unwrapped this present…many times…" I purred, my hand moving of it's own accord further down my body and beneath the bubbles. Only to be joined by Carlisle's a few seconds later. Okay, how the hell did he do that, move so fast to where I wanted…needed him without me even saying anything. He was sitting on the edge of the deep tub his arm and hand stretched behind him.

"Ah…but this present…every day…it gives me a new surprise…to unwrap…enjoy…" he growled lowly in my ear before he began sucking gently on the soft skin behind it. His words were a little lost on me as the feel of his fingers moving over my folds had caused my hips to buck from beneath the water.

"But too much of a good thing can be bad for you…I wouldn't want to spoil my appetite for tomorrow night." he sighed moving his hand out of the water. I almost screeched at the loss of contact.

"You…you…you'd better be hungry tomorrow…" I pouted.

"Don't worry my love…I have a feeling I'm going to be starving." He growled with last brief but incredibly passionate kiss.

"Mae..Mae…MAE!" Carlisle yelled his tone frantic as he sat bolt upright in bed later that night.

"Easy baby…ssh…I'm here…I'm here…" I mumbled sleepily, my own sleep had been fitful. I wrapped my arms round Carlisle, covering the side of his neck, his jaw with light kisses. Finally we lay back down on our sides facing each other. Carlisle's hand was running through my hair across my face down my neck and shoulder. My own was stroking his hair, mapping his face, his chest.

"I'm right here…where I belong…always…" I said softly, my voice catching with emotion. I placed my hand over his heart and felt as well as heard his small sob catch in his chest. I couldn't see his eyes clearly, but I could feel the intense love in his gaze. Carlisle moved himself closer to me, tipping his forehead against mine and placing his own hand over my heart. I covered it with my free hand.

"You know our punishment for doing this will be to have to grin and bare the horse drawn carriage, choir and doves"

"Doves! Ow! Crap…" Carlisle exploded from the bathroom. I hurried in to find a shirtless Carlisle who had been shaving dabbing gingerly at a nick on his chin.

"Yes dear doves…" I laughed. Alice had wanted swans, but I had put my foot down, they bought back memories of the dead pair we had accidently killed.

"I thought they were extinct…"

"I suppose they might be white pigeons or something." I said wrapping my arms round his waist from behind and kissing his shoulder.

"Terrific, so they'll crap all over the guests."

"That's meant to be lucky…" I laughed. Carlisle rolled his eyes at me in the mirror.

"Sue's okay with how to get to the registry office?"

"Yes…Carlisle…this is our day…it's going to happen…" I said excitedly. Carlisle turned draping his arms over my shoulders, his face was bathed in a beautiful smile and I could see the excitement in his own eyes. He kissed me lightly.

"No regrets…about keeping it from the others?" he asked looking worried for a minute.

"I do feel bad…but we need to do this…together…alone…expose another nightmare to the light…they'll be there for the blessing…they'll understand…" I said a little uncertainly "It'll also buy us a little more time at work…I know they'll try and separate us…but I really don't want it to be till after we nail Theirson…I want to be there when he finds out what happens when you take us on…try and split us…play dirty

"I take it you'll have no objection if I was to perhaps want to play a little dirty tonight…" Carlisle growled as he attacked my neck playfully for a moment before looking up at me with a scorching gaze. "Mrs Cullen."

"Absolutely none…Mr Cullen." I purred.

We would use the Lord and Lady thing when we had to, but that wasn't who we were, not when the door closed after a long day and we were just Carlisle and Mae.

Our plan was simple. We would act as if it were just another day. I was going to spend the morning being bought up to speed on what I had missed on the Theirson investigation I had missed whilst I was away. The two thugs that had almost killed Carlisle had died when the car had plunged down the ravine. I knew it wasn't really their fault, they were just two drunks on a joy ride, but I was still so angry, mostly because of my fear and the fact that Theirson was still just out of reach. We still weren't sure exactly which military establishment he was planning to hit and the top brass was still making life incredibly difficult. And we all couldn't shake the feeling that time was something we didn't have too much more of.

Theirson wouldn't have been going to so much trouble to slow Carlisle, me, the unit down if he wasn't coming close to his D-Day. And it didn't take Jack Bauer to work out that it must be something monumental if he wouldn't or couldn't cancel long enough to let the dust settle and give him time to make some new contacts and the money he needed to finance it.

"Hi sis."

My head snapped up from the file I was looking at to find myself gazing into Edward's bright green orbs. He was still being watched, a fact that he found amusing more than anything, and because he had been accused of intimidating Jane and the fact that she was technically under house arrest, he was having to stay with Sue in the village. Not that either of them really minded, they both seemed to be thriving having each other to care for at this difficult time. But Edward had been down graded as a suspect and the strained look on his face seemed to be fading and his smile came a little easier. Being present when I had arrested Jane had helped with that I think. It was nowhere near enough punishment for what she had done to him over the years and the scars she had left, but it had helped the frightened little boy that was still in him a little, to see that the police really did punish those who hurt you.

"Edward…what…what are you doing here?" I had stammered. Great Mae, really smooth all that training and all those years in the field undercover, really paid off I thought.

"He's here to see me…I'm going to pick his brain about his army contacts…see if they've heard any whispers about someone hiring for a big job." Jasper said appearing behind Edward. "You okay Mae…you've gone a little pale?" he asked innocently.

"Yeah…fine…just a lot to do…"

"What time is your meeting this afternoon?"

"Um…one thirty…but I'll be leaving soon…traffic…" I stammered.

Oh hell, they had to hear my heart pounding in my chest.

"I thought you went to the company office by tube?"

"I…I…"

"Should really get going…I know it's a pain having to drive but faulty signals on the tube line…what can you do?" Carlisle said smoothly, the slight tensing of his jaw the only sign that he was at all bothered by what was being said.

"I'll walk with you…"

"You off too?" Edward asked.

"Sorry little brother…Tactical Planning and Procedures meeting at the Yard and yes it is as boring as it sounds…Come round tonight…we're getting the gang together…Emmett is bringing Rock Band."

My raised eyebrow told Carlisle that there was no way in hell Emmett was bringing Rock Band into the apartment. It was our wedding night, but we both, despite our protests to the contrary couldn't cope with the guilt for keeping them in the dark for much longer. We were going to have dinner and a few drinks and break it to them gently.

"Okay…do you mind if I bring Sue with me? She's in town shopping." Edward said.

"You finally got her to take the credit card then?" Jasper said.

"Carlisle!" Edward called after us. Carlisle had without me even seeing grabbed our coats and almost dragged me from the room.

As we passed the custody desk on our way out, I swore I heard the sergeant mutter something about "afternoon delight" I pulled Carlisle to a halt, whilst I got on with most of the officers in the building, there were still a few and whilst I could handle myself, I knew sometimes a look or word from Carlisle who they all respected could do more.

"Delightful afternoon sir." The sergeant simpered.

"It will be." I muttered lowly so only Carlisle could hear me.

We had decided to go home to change and then walk the short distance to the registry office.

"I…there aren't words love…" Carlisle had stammered when I emerged from the spare room. I was wearing a sleeveless ivory sheath dress with an over lay of gold embroidery and a matching bolero jacket. I had swept my hair up in vintage combs Sue leant me. Carlisle had bought me a beautiful string of pearls.

"You don't have anything blue…" Carlisle fretted.

"I think you'll find out…later…I do." I purred.

Carlisle's eyes darkened almost instantly.

"I have a feeling that being married to you will never be dull Mrs Cullen." He growled trapping me against the back of the couch which I had been bending over to grab my purse

God I loved how that sounded.

"Do you think you can handle it?" I asked.

"I'm going to love every damn minute of finding out." He replied.

"I now pronounce you man and wife…" the friendly registrar said brightly. Carlisle's face was shimmering before my tearful eyes. He looked so handsome in his dark suit and blue shirt which added to fathomless depths of his beautiful blue eyes which were looking at me with such love, awe and wonder it only made fresh tears fall.

"Could…could you say the last part again." I asked the registrar. She looked a little bit surprised, but she did.

"I now pronounce you man and wife."

I heard Sue sobbing quietly behind us.

"We did it…" I breathed, my fingers mapping his face. Carlisle's eyes were shining with tears, a breathtakingly beautiful smile on his face. He nodded. I could see he was starting to struggle a little with the overwhelming emotions that this moment, the one we never thought we would see.

I love you I mouthed.

"Always." He whispered.

"Forever." I replied

Our kiss was necessarily brief, but tender and full of promise.

We got the second witness we had found to take a photo as we signed the wedding certificate.

"Why doesn't the mother of the groom stand here…" the registrar said moving a nervous looking Sue behind Carlisle's chair.

"Yeah…come here mum." He said pulling her into him and kissing the top of her head. I heard her small sob as she gripped his jacket for a minute.

"Carlisle…Mae…fancy seeing you here." Alice sang innocently, but the frankly terrifying gleam in her eye and her tapping foot told us quite clearly she was a little pissed off. We had emerged out of the registry office to find Alice waiting and Jasper and Edward leaning against the car amused looks on their faces.

"Sorry best friend…you're on your own." Jasper huffed with the faintest grin as Carlisle looked at him, pleading for help.

"Don't you even think of opening your mouth if you have nothing nice to say." Sue snapped at Edward.

"Alice…we're so sorry…we just needed to do this…" I pleaded.

"I know…I would have understood…" she pouted. " I get my doves, coach and anything else I deem appropriate." It was a statement, not a question.

"Alice…do your worst." Carlisle laughed.

Jasper and Edward winced and shook their heads slowly.

"Poor fool…"

"Nice knowing you brother."

"Six weeks?"

"Nah…I'll be generous…give him seven."

Carlisle and I must have looked confused.

"Until she has you on your knees begging for mercy." They chuckled darkly.

We posed for pictures until Alice decreed that the confetti had fallen right. She was chuckling evily the whole time.

"Okay pixie…who ratted us out?" I asked.

"Rose…she saw you on the phone confirming the booking."

Before I could say that Rose and I needed a chat, or thank Alice for coming Carlisle's phone rang.

"That was Emmett…they've worked out which base it is…and a possible target." He said quietly

I instinctively began to play with my wedding band. I caught Carlisle's eye…it was crap timing…but whatever happened we could face it…together.

**Okay I hope that this makes up a little for my mistake with Chap 7 and the hassle for some of you of having to re read it. Yes, there will be a big wedding but they're going to be a little busy for the moment. All I will say is Alice+Christmas wedding= one hyperactive Christmas fairy and one hell of a wedding! Please hit the button. **

**The song Ordinary People is the property of John Legend**


	9. Chapter 9

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; Thanks as always to all you wonderful people old and new for your support and kind words. Please keep doing what you do. This is just a lemony bit of fluff for CXE before we move on to the big take down of Theirson over the next two chapters. **

**MI5 and the Government were very proud of foiling a plot to kidnap Prince Harry and told the press all about it afterwards. So they won't be coming to put me in The Tower for suggesting such a thing…I hope.**

**CARLISLE POV**

"I felt like such an idiot." Mae pouted adorably.

"Mae…I still find it hard to remember that they're talking to me when they start with all the Lord stuff…and I've had nearly eight months to get used to it." I said, trailing off as I was taken by surprise by a painful lump of tears that had suddenly formed in my throat.

I was standing with my arm draped over Mae's shoulder as we rode the elevator up to the apartment. Seeing my sudden distress at thinking of my father, Mae tenderly kissed my cheek before slipping her arm around my waist and giving me a squeeze. I pulled her into my shoulder tightly, kissing the top of her head and drawing calming breaths of her scent.

"Dad…would have loved what we did today…how we did it." I said roughly.

"I hope so." Mae said quietly.

"He loved you…he was always thanking me for bringing the daughter he always wanted into the family…I just wish…" I trailed off again drawing in a ragged breath to try and compose myself.

"He was there…" Mae said reaching across me to take the hand I was wearing my Dad's Cullen Crest ring on in hers. "And he'll be there again…that's part of the reason why I wanted to have the blessing at Harrowview…let him be part of it…see that we finally did it…see how happy we are…" she said softly. I turned so I was facing her, leaving both my arms draped over her shoulders. She looked tired, but the look of love and happiness shining from her eyes was clear and it made my heart swell with even more love for her.

"Are you happy Mrs Cullen?" I asked.

The breathtakingly intense look of love in her eyes I saw before her mouth claimed mine in a soft, tender kiss which held a wonderful edge of promise gave me my answer.

We stepped out of the elevator with Mae cuddled to my side.

"How many times did he actually call my name?" she asked in a pained voice. I chuckled softly pulling her to a halt to face me.

"Once…okay twice…" I said when she scowled at my attempt to lie. "Mae he understood…most couples who have only been married for just over four hours aren't usually announced in public for the first time to Royalty."

"But what confidence can he have in me to help protect his son from harm if I don't even know or answer to my own name." she said in desperation.

"Mae…believe me…he wouldn't have invited you to join us in our tour of the gardens if he didn't want to hear what you had to say…he was very impressed with you…as was I…"

After Emmett and Rose had informed us that they were as certain as they were ever going to be able to be, of the military base that Theirson was going to attack and Emily, who had been seconded to the SCI as an extra pair of hands had found that the only thing planned there was a visit by one of the Royal Princes Mae and I had immediately gone to Clarence House to inform his father and advisors. To stop any chance of the press picking up a story, our visit had been scheduled as a meeting between Lord and Lady Cullen and Prince Charles to discuss our support of one of his charities. Advisors had tried to stop us from telling the whole truth, but Prince Charles had invited us both on a private tour of his rose garden, something he did when he wanted privacy. Quite a formal man in some respects, he had insisted on calling Mae Lady Cullen. But our heads being so full of our news and the fact that we had only been married just over three hours, he had had to call Mae several times before she realized he was talking to her and answered him. She was mortified, but when I informed him that were very newly wed, he was very kind.

"I guess…and to be honest…the only one I really wanted to make a good impression on today…tonight…is you." She breathed. It was my turn to cash my lips to hers, the moan she let escape the side of our kiss going straight to my groin. A good impression?..she looked like an angel…my angel. As important as the blessing at Harrowview was to us both, I knew that for me…seeing her standing by my side, looking at me with such love as she made the promises I had dreamed of hearing her make…had truly made today the happiest day of my life.

We entered the apartment, Mae bridal style in my arms to find the darkness broken by the flickering of candles, the table set for dinner and the air heavy with the scent of mushroom ravioli. The first meal we had shared together.

"Alice!" we said in unison. We knew our friends would understand why we had done what we had done, but it didn't stop us feeling guilty especially as they had been so kind to us through the good times and the nightmare years.

"Are you hungry?" Mae asked.

I wanted to say no and I hoped that my eyes told her that I wanted to take her to bed, finish this wonderful day hearing her call my name as I buried myself deep within her and told her how much I loved her. But my traitorous stomach chose that moment to betray me.

"Me too." She giggled. But the look in her eyes told me that dessert would be served in the bedroom

The warmth of the food suggested that Alice could not have left long before we arrived. We both agreed that she was wasted and that she should be working for us. We chatted, laughed, touched and whispered words of love as we ate, the air between us becoming charged with our need for each other, but also some nerves, we had waited for this night for so long.

"Now…I need a few minutes..." Mae said coming round the table. I turned in my seat so I could pull her in to stand between my legs. As I wrapped my arms round her waist, her hands found their usual home in my hair. I closed my eyes with a deep sigh as crackles of pleasure began shooting through my body.

"Don't be long Mrs Cullen…" I said opening my eyes and smiling up into her face.

"Say it again." She breathed.

"Mrs Cullen…" I said with a smile.

"God…I love that…" she said roughly, her eyes beginning to shine with tears, one of her hands left my hair and began to caress the side of my face.

"That's your name my love…the name that was always meant just for you…" I said moving one of my hands to ghost over her hip, along her rib cage before coming to rest on her breast. The soft sigh that escaped her became a moan when I took the two fingers she had brought to rest on my lips into my mouth and sucked them.

It was with great reluctance that I eventually let Mae up from my lap, where she had ended up as our teasing had become more heated and the things she was doing with her tounge as she fought my own for dominance in our kiss had elicited deep pleasurable moans and a need to be closer from me.

"You could always make yourself useful and do the dishes." Mae had called back over her shoulder with a laugh as she disappeared into the bedroom. I was going to love every minute of being married to this woman. I had instead headed into the en suite of the spare room to freshen up myself.

I entered the master bedroom ten minutes later to find Mae lying back on the pillows looking a vision in a long champagne coloured silk slip, her hair falling in luxurious waves over her shoulders.

"I don't see…anything blue…" I stammered slightly as I tried to gather enough composure to stop myself pouncing on her.

"Well why don't you come here and look a little closer…and lose the towel" She purred.

"Bossing me around already?" I said lowly as I let the towel wrapped around my waist fall and began stalking towards the bed. The sound of her breath catching in her throat and the darkening of her eyes with lust as she hungrily took in my body taking away the last of my nerves.

"Well they do say the secret to a good marriage is…communication…" she breathed as I fit my body over hers resting my weight on my hands. "Discussing our…likes…dislikes…what…feels…sooo good…" she moaned as I sucked on the pulse point of her neck, causing her head to fall back.

"Well…it's just as well…you married…a very good…listener…" I breathed into her neck as I began to cover it in hot, open mouthed kisses. "Who is…always open to discussion…" I said claiming her bottom lip, grazing it lightly with my teeth before sucking gently. The feel of the silk against my skin, her body arching up into mine, her scent, her sounds, the overwhelming feelings of love and need I felt for her at this moment were pushing me fast towards the edge as the almost painful arousal I was fast developing could testify.

"That's soo good to know…" she breathed as I laved the delicate skin of her collarbones with my tounge. Mae whimpered as I sat back on my heels a little and allowed my hands to begin pushing the silk up her legs and thighs kneading the muscles gently as I did so. Mae continued to arch and moan as she reached out for me, the feel of her soft hands followed by her nails raking down my chest was making it extremely difficult to concentrate and more than once I had allowed her to pull me down for another searing kiss. My movement caused the material of her slip to bunch at her waist exposing the blue garter high above her knee.

" Well…look what I found."

"Take it off…"

"Your slip…with pleasure love…" I growled pulling the material up and off with her help. "Beautiful…so damn beautiful…" I moaned moving forward to take one of her pebbled nipples in my mouth alternating between sucking and grazing the sensitive stub in my mouth. My own arousal which was pressed into the mattress was painful, but the sight of seeing my beautiful wife lost in the throws of a passion I was causing was addictive. Lifting her leg, I rested it on my shoulder before lowering my head, I grabbed the garter between my teeth, pausing for a moment to breathe in the scent of her arousal and feel the scorching heat coming from her bare core. I couldn't help myself I placed a kiss on the centre of her lips causing Mae's hips to buck off the bed.

"Car…lisle…please…" she almost screamed, her hands pulling roughly at my hair. I let my tounge flick out and swipe her once more, before beginning to drag the material down. I hadn't moved far before I lost all sense of direction as her soft hand had encircled my swollen member.

"MAEE...OHHH GOD!" I shouted.

"Now…Carlisle…I need you now…" she pleaded increasing the pressure of her hand as she teased us both by dragging me across her swollen hot folds.

"So…so…tight…so wet…" I moaned, my head falling back at the fell of her slick hot walls surrounding me as I thrust into her at such a deeper angle.

"You…only you…my…husband…can make me feel…like thiiisss…" Mae hissed her back arching and her hips rising, she wrapped her other leg around my hip, her heel grazing my ass as she urged me to move. Fisting the sheets by the side of her head I pulled almost all the way out before thrusting back into her.

"Say it again…" I groaned.

"My husband…" she replied her eyes wild with need meeting mine.

"Jesus Mae…do you know…how…fucking…amazing…that makes me feel…how you make me feel…my wife…my beautiful…wife…" I ground out as I thrust into her slick heat.

"Tell me…Tell me Carlisle…tell me you love me…"Mae moaned arching up to meet my thrusts.

"I love you…I love you…I adore you…god I love youuu." I shouted my head falling back as Mae deliberately clamped her muscles down around me holding me in place as I attempted to pull out of her again. The pleasure that shot through me was almost painful in it's intensity and sent me hurtling towards the edge.

"I'm close…so close…" I moaned

"I know baby…I feel you…take me with you…a little faster baby please…" Mae groaned thrusting up harder against me.

"Christ Mae…" I hissed as my shaft came into contact with her fingers which were working her clit.

"Let go Carlisle…" Mae breathed as her free hand squeezed my balls.

And ever anxious to be a good husband who did as he was told I did calling her name and I how much I loved her in a roar.

"OPEN UP! POLICE!" came a sharp voice and heavy thump on the door scaring Mae and I back into the consciousness ridiculously early the next morning. Pulling on clothes, we stumbled into the lounge and I threw open the front door. It was Jasper with an evil grin on his face.

"Good morning sir…sorry to disturb you…but we've had reports of lewd, loud behavior of a sexual nature disturbing the peace…" he said pushing past me into the apartment.

"You really don't know how close I am to making Alice even madder at me by doing you serious physical harm." Mae growled storming into the kitchen area.

Jasper chuckled.

"I'm sorry…really…"

"I guess I should be grateful that you had the decency to knock and give us chance to get dressed this time." I growled running a hand through my messy hair.

Jasper gave me a strange look "We've been invited by Royal and Government decree to go play soldiers with the SAS…make sure we're up to the job of protecting the soldier prince." He said seriously.

"I know we have to be ready…but today…" I pouted.

"Fraid so…Prince Charles is understandably anxious as is our new Prime Minister…doesn't want the honour of losing one of the Royal Princes on his watch.

"We'll be there Jazz…now before you leave…would you care to explain what my dear husband meant by you knocking and giving us chance to dress…this time?" Mae asked sweetly, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Um no…" Jazz said with a sheepish grin as he hurried past me towards the door. Mae had then turned her gaze on me, her finger tapping on the counter top menacingly.

"Thanks pal." I hissed.

"Welcome to the joys of matrimony" he chuckled slamming the door closed behind him as I hurled a cushion after him.

"Carlisle…" Mae said sweetly stalking towards me.

"Now darling…I can explain."


	10. Chapter 10

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT.**

**AN; What else can I say but thank you so much to all the old and new readers of this story who continue to read, list and review. Please keep doing what you do. Means a hell of a lot. **

**THEIRSON POV**

"Harry Dean?"

"Sorry mate…we're closed." Came the mumbled reply from the man beneath the car.

"I've got some work to put your way." I replied trying to hold on to my already strained patience. Thanks to that fucking idiot Talbot and his latest stunt of almost getting Cullen killed, none of the arms dealers who had access to men as well as guns for a much more reasonable price than Honandez would touch me. As much as criminals hated the police, they knew that killing one bought down far too much heat and attention on their activities. And it seemed that Cullen had been awarded the rare criminal accolade of being respected as a "hard bastard but a fair copper." Talbot and several others had told me this that's why I had gone along with the plan Felix had come up with when we had looked at the info on the younger brother's computer. It had seemed to be working Cullen was hauled off the case…until he had according to the few sources I still had in the police force had his mother watched and subjected to intense questioning by the Spooks and a real Jerry Springer style rant from himself that had her confessing and "suffering" house arrest at the family's country pile.

I had been reduced to swallowing my pride and having to go back to the fat man for help. He had every reason to be pissed off, he had set me up with the best contacts…all I'd had to do was raise the necessary money and provide the necessary insurance…Felix had assured me Talbot and Mitchell were the men to help me to do that…God had the fat man enjoyed making me grovel. And hell was I going to enjoy Talbot feel my pain.

"It'll be worth your while." I ground out.

"I've got all the work I can handle." The man insisted still from beneath the car. I had to grip Felix's arm hard to stop him from yanking the man out from beneath the car.

"I can see that…" I sneered as I looked around the shabby backstreet car garage.

"Listen pal I said no…so…do yourself a favour… and fuck off." Harry Dean growled as he slid himself out from beneath the car on the small trolley. Before I had even registered the movement Felix was holding the man in the air by the front of his greasy overalls.

"Felix!" I snapped. Babysitting Talbot had caused some of Felix's rough edges and temper, which I had spent years and a lot of money getting rid of to reappear. Before Felix had time to answer he was falling back into the car yelling in pain as his nose and eyebrow burst open and began gushing blood. Harry Dean was on his feet glaring as he rubbed a hand over the sore patch of skin which showed where his head had connected with Felix.

"Fuck off and take laughing boy here with you." He spat savagely motioning to the door with his thumb.

"Harry, I'm sorry…Felix go wait in the car…not in it I don't want you bleeding all over my upholstery." I growled.

"I still ain't interested." Harry grumbled over his shoulder at me as he began clearing the tools that Felix had sent flying.

"Viv says different."

"Viv has a big mouth."

"How is Wayne?"

"Listen fuckface…I ain't buying whatever the hell it is your selling okay?" Dean exploded lunging towards me.

"Five hundred grand…that'd keep Wayne in one of those decent nut houses instead of one of those NHS ones where the patients are left to rot." I said quickly.

There was a part of me that felt bad for using Dean's mentally ill brother against him especially, as I knew how hard living with mental illness could be but I was desperate and I really did want the poor bastard to have decent care. Sometimes the right doctor could make the difference between someone having a pretty decent life or as I said, being left to rot.

Dean let me go, giving me a chilling glare as he stormed towards the private office at the back of the garage. I let him have a few minutes to compose himself before heading back to join him.

"Well as shit as my life is, I ain't nowhere near as desperate as you…big job on and Carlisle Cullen on your arse…" Dean chuckled darkly. "And now his Yankee bird is back on the scene as well…"

"I thought she'd gone back to the States after she stood him up at the altar." I said confused. Not that I could blame her after what had happened but I didn't think the gory extra reason was common knowledge.

"She came back…"

"Well I don't think some embassy secretary can do me much harm."

Dean looked at me for a long moment looking at me as if he was trying to work out if I was serious.

"Embassy secretary? Mae Marshall aint no bloody secretary. Didn't that asswipe Talbot tell you all the details of what happened when he raided that jeweler? stupid idiot hitting Mr Whitlock's wife's place…everyone knows that's off limits if you know what's good for you." He said slowly as if he were attempting to explain something to a toddler.

"Forgive me my ignorance." I snapped.

"Listen…keeping your ear to the ground, knowing what's what, who's who, that's what, stops you if you're lucky from a bullet in the back of the head or a long bloody stretch at one of her Majesty's correctional facilities…"

"This Mae Marshall?" I prompted a new painful knot forming in my stomach.

"Dirty Harriet? Talbot had been rambling something incoherent about Dirty Harriet when Felix had dragged him away from his fight with Cullen. I had thought it was because he was so stoned. He had said it was Cullen that had shot the windscreen from the car. He had never mentioned a woman American or otherwise.

"She's from one of the American special intelligence services…forget Lara Bloody Croft, she's better looking and far fucking tougher, gun, knife one on one she's taken them all on. You might knock her down but she'll keep getting up and coming at you till she either gets you or you knock her spark out. But she's not just physically tough…girls got steel plated balls…"

My skepticism must have shown on my face.

"Seven years ago, those nutter's who were targeting the shopping centers…evil bastards…" Dean muttered darkly. I couldn't have agreed more, it was upon hearing about that and several other planned "News makers" that had caused me to pull away from the organization.

"You do this job for me…you might be able to stop a few more evil bastards doing the same thing." I said quietly. That had his attention.

"Well, the fifth bomb…there wasn't enough time to diffuse it…"

"How…do you know this…?" I asked suddenly a little nervous. The criminal jungle drums and the odd contact in the police station was one thing, but this was security service stuff. Was Dean a plant by the cops?

"My best mate was on the bomb disposal team. Mae Marshall, she grabs the bag. Cullen drives like he's some kind of racing driver whilst she holds it steady…they cover the journey in half the time it should normally take and heave the thing in a canal…three minutes to spare. They're as tough and sneaky as each other…got some sort of weird mind reading thing going on…jesus I seriously hope they never have a kid…it really would every villains worst bloody nightmare." He sighed.

If only he knew I thought.

"Well…if they're too much for you to handle." I said flippantly turning on my heel.

"I never said that." Dean said quickly.

He may well have been anxious, scared even but he was desperate and more than that, showing fear…losing face was one sure way to get yourself hurt or killed in the criminal underworld. It was something that I had to keep telling myself. But Dean's words had given me food for thought.

"You'll need backup…"

"I haven't said yes yet." He grumbled.

But I knew he would.

"I'll want half the money up front…so will the lads I hire…job like this…we'll need to get the fuck out of the country for awhile."

"You…you know what the job is…" I stammered.

"Why the hell do you think Viv gave you my name…I've already had my visit from the heavy boys…I'm way down low on a very long list, by the time they get round to rechecking it…this'll be done and I will be either dead or chasing a girl in a grass skirt round a tropical island with a lawn mower." Dean said matter of factly.

This was really happening.

**ESME POV**

"Right…just to show you that despite what you might hear I am not a totally heartless bastard…we'll start easy…a five mile run."

"You mean a five mile jog right…" Jake joked.

"Right…we'll jog the _first_ five miles." Sgt Billy Black said with an evil grin.

Jake flushed with embarrassment and dropped his head beneath the weight of all of the teams death glares.

And Sgt Black was as good as his word, we did jog the first five miles but only ran for the next three instead of five, mainly because of the lack of time rather than any concern he had over our well being. The team was fit and Carlisle and I ran a lot, but we were both exhausted after our long day the previous day, the wonderful night that followed and our disgustingly early call from Jasper. I didn't know about Carlisle, but I was also a little sore from our two intense love making sessions and this morning's quick but acrobatic turn in the shower following our Jasper induced argument. I had been mortified when I had forced out of Carlisle that the others had entered our apartment…our apartment…our home…I love that…and had seen us…almost naked following our argument over Paul. I'm not sure how he'd done it and I was still mortified and mad at Carlisle despite his protestations that he had only been trying to spare my blushes by not telling me, but I had given in to Carlisle's distraction techniques and we had shared a shower making up for our first married fight.

"I hate to disturb you Dolly Daydream…but we'd be grateful if you could move your cute little backside and come and join the rest of us." Sgt Black barked dragging me back to reality. I had fallen behind the rest who were a good distance ahead of me sprawled on the ground gulping at bottles of water. I sped up feeling my blush add heat to my already overheated body. Carlisle could not, not have heard what Black had said but the only sign I could see as I flopped over the finishing line, to confirm this and his reaction was the rigid tension in his jaw and a flash in his eyes. Carlisle knew that I didn't need anyone to fight my battles for me at work. That did not stop him making his feelings at the way Black had spoken to and treated me later on known during their gun disarming practice. Jasper Emmett and Rose were the only ones we were married and Carlisle and I were happy to keep it that way. We really did want to try and separate our work and home life, but there was an unexpected rush of pride and happiness at Carlisle defending my honour, not that you would have noticed by looking at my face.

Black was not quite as tall as Carlisle but he was broader, his rough features and almost permanent scowl giving him the look of a villain rather than a good guy which only helped Carlisle's mindset as he prepared to face him. Black had called out a few of the usual taunts that Carlisle received about his title but he was taken by surprise when Carlisle sprang forward faster than Black had expected. Carlisle used the long reach of his arm and deflected the direction of the gun using his palm to grab the barrel before rotating it sideways away from him. With both hands on the gun Carlisle had then with a little more enthusiasm than necessary bought his knee up into Black's already winded body which had been bent double by a disabling blow seconds earlier. Carlisle had shared fist bumps with the team including me.

I had been wearing my engagement ring on a chain round my neck under my shirt at work but I couldn't bear to not wear the wedding band that I had waited so long for. So before we had left this morning Carlisle had removed it and replaced it on my right hand where it would look like another piece of jewelry. But the overwhelming love and peace I felt when I looked at it, not to mention the tender look of love in Carlisle's eyes as he had raised my hand to his lips and kissed the ring meant that it would never be that. It was harder for Carlisle to get away with wearing a plain gold band, so he had had to remove it and replace it with his Cullen crest ring which I had re consecrated with a kiss of my own.

From what we could determine, Theirson's plan was to kidnap the Prince and then hold him to ransom to make a point about the current war. We would have the area sown up, but with situations like this anything could happen especially considering the reception was being held in one of the airplane hangars. We needed to be prepared for some close protection of the Prince and the need for procision shooting to try and protect the innocent people that would also be in the hangar.

**THEIRSON POV**

"So what do I call you?" I said hoping that my nerves didn't show as I addressed the four burly and intimidating surly men sprawled around the large lock up garage which Dean had assured me was for now all they would need. Dean had gathered a team of seven trusted and trained men around him giving me my own private little army of eight to play with. It didn't seem a lot for what I was planning, but my Dad had told me endless stories of small, well trained and brave men that held off hundreds or took on missions that everyone else had deemed impossible. And the fat man assured me that they would be all I needed.

"Mountain Lion." Said a tall lean man with a pock marked face.

"Bear." Came a growl from an aptly physiqued man.

"You're not serious." I snorted.

They were.

The fat man had given me the plans for the main HQ House of the military base where the reception would be held and from where we were going to snatch the Prince. It was originally meant to be held in one of the airplane hangars but the fat man…I could not take a man who called himself Viv after Vivian Leigh seriously, had insisted that it would changed and we prepare plans for a snatch from the main house. Dean had arranged oil drums and packing crates into a mock up of the landing and grand staircase in the main reception hall.

Two of Dean's team would appear on the landing as the Prince approached it after leaving the main room after dinner, taking out his close personal bodyguards leaving the way clear for the men working the room to bundle him out in the chaos through a patio door.

I stayed and watched a few of the drills Dean put his men through. He was a hard task master, making them repeat the moves over and over again until the two men on the landing hit their marks at the same time maximizing the small element of surprise they would have. The men working the room practiced subduing and moving their pretend Prince out of the door into a waiting car.

"Wanna make yourself useful?" Dean snapped at me suddenly.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked nervously.

"Shut the fuck up and do as your told." He said an evil smirk curling his lips as a blindfold was suddenly slammed down over my head and two vice like hands gripped my arms.

"No good commanding officer would let his men suffer something that he wasn't prepared to suffer through at least once…" I heard a voice chuckle darkly

**ESME POV**

The Prince had been trained since he was sixteen in anti kidnap techniques and if there was the slightest hint of trouble he would be ghosted away before he had chance to realize what was happening. However we had to be prepared and the last thing we wanted was him or another innocent being hit by stray bullets from us firing in a panic.

Taking a deep breath, I removed the safety from my weapon and entered the airplane hangar. It had been dressed with tables and chairs to look as it would on the day. There was even music playing in the background to distract. It took a minute or two for my eyes to adjust to the dim light.

**BANG- **A target with a criminals face popped up to my left. I fired twice.

**BANG-BANG-** two more targets popped up. I took them down.

**SMACK-** Another target sprang up right in front of me…I realized just in time that it wasn't a criminal, it was a nervous looking woman.

Suddenly I could hear the sound of a car approaching at speed from my left. As it burst through the half open doors of the hangar it's passenger hanging out of his window firing at me, I dropped and rolled behind one of the tables for cover.

"Looking for me copper?" Black's voice screamed out. I rose to my knee still using the table for cover. I was confronted by him holding Carlisle in a headlock with a gun to his head. They were both wearing heavy armour and helmets which would protect them from the blanks in my gun. Black was dragging Carlisle towards the car. Two quick, closely grouped shots to the gunman in the car's shoulder disabled him allowing me to focus on the main problem. I had seconds…in a low crouch I raced forward

I fired twice. Once into Carlisle's leg, which caused him to double over and bring Black's head down to a level where I could hit him with a head shot.

I managed to hold it together whilst Black and the team bantered with me, but as soon as I managed to escape round the side of the building under the pretense of having a smoke I heaved.

"Here…" came a voice from behind me as a bottle of water appeared at my side.

When I righted myself I found Carlisle leaning against the wall dragging on a cigarette.

"Please tell me that that means I'm forgiven for not telling you about Alice and the gangs visit?" He chuckled, turning to light my cigarette for me.

"Me and the pixie will be having words about her voyeuristic tendencies." I growled with a laugh. We stood in silence for a while.

"…I just fired…I didn't think…I just did it…took you down as if you were another target."

"In there I was just another target…"

"But! We're…I'm your…" I stammered quietly.

"I thought you wanted to keep things separate." He said a little confused.

"We do…but I didn't think I would find it that easy…" I said in confusion.

"Me either." He chuckled trying to lighten the mood. "Mae, if you found it easy you wouldn't have reacted like this…it would have been bang…bang…job done move to the next one. You wouldn't even be thinking about it.

"But."

"But nothing. Out there, where it matters, when it's a matter of life or death either yours or an innocent, we aren't Mr and Mrs Cullen the couple, we are Cullen and Marshall two operatives doing our jobs damn bloody well. What we can't do is let it affect us too much once we go home shut the door and become Mr and Mrs Cullen."

"Say that again." I whispered. We were both standing leaning back against the wall heads turned to face each other. We had stayed overnight at the camp and Leah and I had been put in a separate smaller dorm, which was little more than a store cupboard with two beds crammed in it, from the boys. After everything we had been through, sleeping apart was almost painful even when we were bone weary. I could see the matching dark circles to my own beneath Carlisle's eyes.

"Mr and…" he picked up my right hand raising it to his lips. "Mrs Cullen." He said softly his own pleasure at the words clear in his eyes and smile.

"So I guess I get to live my super hero fantasy after all." I mused. Carlisle's eyebrow rose in curiosity.

" I always wanted to be either Storm or Jean Gray from the X-Men…or anyone, that wasn't that little girl hiding under the covers, pillow over her head trying not to listen to her mom being knocked around." I sighed. Carlisle's eyes softened slightly as they filled with love and support. He pulled my hand which he hadn't let go of up to his lips again.

"Well if we're going to do this superhero double life thing properly…I really do think you should invest in some leather…boots preferably…" he mused a sexy smirk twitching his lips.

I let out a strange strangled choke of surprise.

"Only if you get a cape."

"Which X-Man had a cape?"

"None…I had a thing for Superman too…any regrets about marrying me…now you know some more of my little…"

"Kinky fantasies…none at all…" he growled, but then his face clouded over once more.

"I just hope I can step up love…like you did…" he admitted.

"Carlisle…you never panicked when I was sitting in the passenger seat of your car with an unstable bomb."

"On the outside maybe…no…I trusted…trust you…but so much has happened…"

"Maybe…but I think if anything Cullen and Marshall the operatives doing their jobs have gotten tougher, are working together better than ever…I don't think I could have done what I did today seven years ago…" I said.

Carlisle considered my words.

"Why do you think that is?" he mused genuinely interested.

"Trust…there's no more doubt…no more fear…we've come though all the shit…we've got our forever…now…we're going to do what it takes for us to keep it…we'll still have our moments of wanting to make anyone who insults the other into a jigsaw." I said with a smile. Carlisle's concern had finally allowed me to finally verbalize what I knew deep down.

"Or rip them limb from limb when they accidently on purpose grab your breast twice." Carlisle growled.

"You saw that." I huffed as I remembered the soldier with the wandering hands I had partnered in one exercise.

"Jake told me…he wanted to come to your rescue but you beat him to it."

I grinned. "Mmm…the regiments choir has their first soprano singer."

"Okay…beautiful, brave, tough, sexy as hell and so bloody wise….what did I do to deserve you?" Carlisle moving so he was standing in front of me, one of his hands resting on the wall by my head.

"I was going to ask you that?" I said softly as Carlisle kissed me briefly but with incredible passion.

That afternoon Carlisle was given his chance to find out. We had been on the skid pans practicing defensive driving. Sgt Black was a tough man who had done a great job with us in the short amount of time we had, but he didn't actually admit that he was actually impressed until after our last little "challenge". A trust exercise that involved us pairing off with one person standing in the middle of the skid pad whilst the other drove towards them at speed. The loser was the one who either jumped out of the way or pulled the car up short. Black and his team said it was a chance for us to see just how much trust we had in our own skills and each other. It was a chance for the soldiers to see just how much balls we had compared to them. They had all managed to stop mere inches away from each other. Large amounts of money ended up changing hands in bets between us and the soldiers. Leah and Jake had not been quite as successful at hiding their relationship as we were and they had endured plenty of banter, none more so when Leah had gunned the engine a little as she screeched towards Jake sending him into the bushes.

"I told you! That girl is cold…a real ball buster…she'll fuck you senseless then eat you not even bothering to spit out the bones." I heard one soldier laugh.

When it came to Carlisle and I's turn the betting was a little more uncertain. They had seen how I had handled myself on the range, but Carlisle although obviously tough was still a mystery to them, they were still mistaking manners for weakness.

I took my place in the centre of the skid pan. I could see the tension in Carlisle as he approached the car.

Trust baby. Trust in us…Trust in yourself. I silently urged him.

I watched the large digital speedometer on the side of the pan during Carlisle's approach, but as I heard him get closer I turned and Looked straight ahead at him. Our eyes locked as he bought the car to a halt barely an inch in front of me.

We were ready.

**AN; Okay I'm going to be a little shameless here and anyone who hasn't already…huge thanks to all who have, to head over and maybe cast a vote for this story in the Bring Me To Life Awards- Dr McDreamy category. www(dot)bringmetolifeawards(dot)weebly(dot)com. **

**Love you all lots- Scribex**


	11. Chapter 11

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT-I own this plot**

**AN; Okay- things I need you to know; **

**Your continued support is amazing thank you. Please keep going.**

**This is a work of FICTION. I have had several PM's saying that I was getting too political. This type of story has been done several times in print and on TV, those writers taking inspiration as I have from the various news reports and forums where pissed off soldiers have vented their concerns. I have adapted (with permission) several soldiers comments for Theirson and the other soldiers. Okay rant over-sorry**

**I need to make the Prince in danger WILLIAM not HARRY-I know, slapped wrist, but don't think it'll affect thinks too much. **

**In last chap, Harry Dean Theirson spoke of a contact called VIV, Theirson later called him the FAT MAN. VIV and THE FATMAN are the SAME man. You will get a FAT MAN POV this chap. And yes I did deliberately have Carlisle and the team training for an attack in the HANGAR whilst Theirson's team practiced for an attack on the HOUSE. Hope that clears things up for the people who PM'd me. Didn't mean to confuse.**

**M rating for language, lemons, violence and dark images**

**JULY 2****nd****.**

**ESME POV**

"Ahhh…I think I'm really…going to like…married…liiifee…" I moaned. As if being woken after a much needed lie in, by the feel of Carlisle doing wonderfully naughty things between my legs with his tounge wasn't amazing enough, he had also made breakfast. I could barely focus such was the intensity of the pleasure crackling through my body, but I could smell…bacon and coffee.

"Me…too…" Carlisle growled with a smirk, looking up at me from beneath his lashes before returning to my sensitive and overheated core. It didn't take long before my moans had become shamelessly wanton and I was fisting the bed sheets with one hand, whilst trying to move Carlisle closer…a final graze of my sensitive nub with his teeth, quickly followed by a soothing swipe of his tounge and I came undone…noisily.

"Good morning Mrs Cullen…" he said moving up over me, supporting his weight on his arms either side of my head.

"It is now." I chuckled as I twisted my fingers in his sexily ruffled hair and pulled his face down for a kiss.

**THEIRSON POV**

"They've gone too far, hitting soft targets…civilians…"

"And you don't think kidnapping and threatening the life and limbs of a Royal Prince is one of the more extreme ways to protest against the war…" the soldier who insisted on being known as Mountain Lion asked in an amused tone as he and "Bear" adjusted the banner of the "group" that would be held responsible for the kidnapping of the Prince. Felix had found us an abandoned office block that had been due to be converted into luxury flats before the money had run out, to hold the Prince in. One of his many contacts was handling security for the site and had been well paid to look the other way.

"He's a soldier…"

"In name only…" I huffed.

"Oh yeah I forgot, you're a real battle hardened veteran aren't you? Bear snarled causing the room to explode into sniggers of laughter. The hot blush I felt spreading up my neck was as much a sign of anger as much as embarrassment, as Bear found to his surprise when I sprang towards him knocking him back into the wall, my arm across his throat. I might not be able to hold him for long, but it was long past time that I got my point across.

"Maybe I've never worn a uniform or carried a gun, but believe me, my old man made sure that I knew exactly what it was like spending days and nights up to your neck in mud and shit, dodging bullets and watching helplessly as your mates were cut down by a machine gun that your CO had assured you didn't even exist." I hissed. The shudder which gripped my body allowed Bear to push me aside with a glare.

"You know what you're letting yourself in for when you sign up." One of the others said from behind me.

"This war…it was all lies, but instead of holding up their hands and saying okay we've made a mistake…come home lads whilst we have a rethink and maybe even find the money to kit you out properly and give you the equipment to do your bloody jobs…they just keep sending more and more grass green kids in to act as little more than bloody cannon fodder…so that they don't lose face. Well the Government may be able to ignore all the "normal" soldiers coming home in body bags and with limbs missing…but they won't be able to ignore him…seeing their future king…"

"You do realize that although they may let you live…make an example of you…you won't live long in Belmarsh…your dodgy ticker will mysteriously give out or, another inmate will suddenly become all patriotic and punish you for your treason…" Mountain Lion sighed.

I nodded. Whilst the fat man had tried to assure me that he would do all he could, I knew that I was infact about to lay down my life for my country. It was in a bloody mess that was only going to get worse before it gets better, and I knew that it probably wouldn't be long before the next big atrocity would make what I did seem like nothing, but if I could ensure even a few soldiers families were left with more than the hollow "thanks of a grateful nation" and a piece of tin in a box, it would be worth it.

"I could say the same to you…" I said quietly.

"Since the age of 18, I've been trained to do one thing… fight and kill people…yeah I've got other skills but I'm fighting a hundred other kids for every job that comes up…I'm tired of fighting. If this pays off…great, if not…well if I buy your bollocks…I'll have still died in the defense of my country so it's a win- win…" he replied sadly.

**FAT MAN POV**

"I have no trouble in taking out Theirson…the guy is all talk but has no stomach, he'd drop us all in the shit from a great height without a second thought…but the other guys…they're all good, sound lads…"

"Who would rather die than end up rotting in a jail cell… because it would be life without parole…what we're doing is treason." I said patiently.

"Couldn't we stick to Theirson's plan…send the boy King back to them missing his polo playing arm and the crown jewels?" Dean said in an admirable attempt to save his men.

"No!" I said sharply "Years of research has shown us that he is the one that the people want to succeed the Queen, 98% of the British Public would rather see Britain become a republic rather than be ruled by any other member of the Royal family. And we…the people I'm working with do not bare the Royals any malice or wish them harm…"

Dean snorted with laughter. Planning to assassinate the Prince wasn't exactly the best way to prove that point.

"We feel…" I pressed on "that they are an out dated, outmoded institution that is an almost crippling drain on the country's already dangerously strained resources. What they generate in tourism barely touches what they draw in terms of 'salaries' and maintenance charges for their various residences. The money we would save by retiring them to the chosen castle of their choice wouldn't solve all our problems, but it would allow us to make a substantial start in improving services for our armed forces and defense at home and abroad."

Dean looked non plussed by my rhetoric.

"And what's to stop you from putting a bullet in the back of my head when I've served my purpose?" Dean said quietly, turning further into his seat, meaning that the curious young boy kicking a football along the street couldn't see his face so clearly as he approached us. When I was a boy, Sunday morning meant altar boy duties. We had parked at the top of the quiet side street where Talbot's new safe house was located.

" You mean, apart from the fact that you saved me from being beaten to death or worse in Northern Ireland?" I said sincerely. Dean merely grunted in response. "There is two hundred and fifty thousand pounds in the off shore bank account which only you have the authority to control and the false passport and other travel documents you have placed in a location of your own choosing. Your men will snatch the Prince and bring him to the agreed rendezvous point where they believe their decoy get away car will be waiting to carry them to the safe house set up by Theirson. You and several of my men will be waiting their too ambush them and eliminate your target. The sudden change of venue and the chaos that follows means that my two men who were only patrolling that area as a precaution were taken by surprise by the kidnappers and the Prince. They of course did everything they could to try and protect the Prince, but…how many do you have on the snatch team?"

"Five."

"Well…five against two…a frantic gun battle…a tragic accident." I said shaking my head sadly. "You, make good your escape in the getaway car…a ninety minute head start isn't a lot, but I'm sure a man as resourceful as yourself can make it work." I said

"What about Cullen and his team? You said yourself that they're good."

"They are…very and I would rather not lose any of them if possible…I'm hoping that the chaos on the base will hold Cullen and his team up until it's too late…but if…he or any of his team live up to their reputation and manage to interfere…" I didn't have to finish my sentence.

I truly hoped that just this once Carlisle and the lovely Agent Marshall didn't live up to their reputation as one of the best teams working in the service today. I liked, admired and…much to my shame and his amusement found Carlisle incredibly attractive. Sadly he only had eyes for his new bride…the lovely Agent Marshall. His brother Edward had had his security risk status downgraded, but he still warranted surveillance, which had followed him to the registry office where Carlisle and Mae were married two weeks ago.

Their professional relationship, most notably their little escapade with the unexploded shopping centre bomb was well known, and even after such a long absence from each other, it had become very clear over the last few weeks that their reputation as a formidable team was still justified. That was why I had wanted Carlisle in charge of this case, when the inevitable enquiry was launched they would see that everything that could be done to protect the Prince had been done. Carlisle was notorious for being thorough. Whilst Theirson's idiots inadvertently killing Honandez had been inconvenient, they had in fact done the world a favour and given us one less arms dealer to worry about. And of course he had bought the lovely Agent Marshall back into Carlisle's life.

As much as it might have, may still, prove to have been more prudent in the long run to have let the truly chilling pandora's box Theirson's thug had opened by stealing and revealing the contents of Edward Cullen's lap top, take Carlisle off the case. I couldn't do it to Carlisle. Seeing him so completely devastated by not only his mother's actions but how they had caused Mae to have been torn from his life for a second time had torn at my heart. I knew that he would never feel the same way about me, and that the only way I could help or comfort him was to expediate the enquiry into his teams conduct, get Mae home and make sure his mother was no longer able to hurt him. So I had done it, I had a horrible feeling that my weakness may cost us both in the long run, but to see the happiness…that Talbot had almost destroyed…the man was little more than an animal…that poor child…Jasper Whitlock's wife's shop…she was a little loud, but was charming none the less.

"So are we going to do this or not? If we sit here much longer, the nosy old bag across the road who has been watching us for the last ten minutes will call the coppers…" Dean growled.

"Yes…it's about time Mr Talbot stopped causing us problems and started making himself useful." I replied.

**ESME POV**

"Maaaaee…have you seen my other shoe…the brown one…" Carlisle bellowed from the lounge.

"No, where did you put it?"

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be asking?" he huffed as he stomped back into the bedroom.

"Which one? The blue or the black?" I demanded turning round and holding the two summer dresses I was debating over up for his scrutiny.

"You'll look gorgeous in either…love it's a barbeque at Alice and Jasper's for Rose's birthday not a Royal Garden Party…"

"A party, where a Hollywood star will be in attendance." I said slowly shaking my head at his lack of comprehension. Bella Swan had been invited by Emmett and Edward to the little party the team were holding for Rose's birthday. She hadn't wanted any fuss made over her birthday, especially as it was the same day as Thierson's planned kidnap attempt on Prince William. But Rose had over the last few months become as close to Alice as I was and we decided that we needed to do something to celebrate. The little party would also serve to let Rose meet more of our team whilst letting our team relax a little before we had to face Theirson's threat.

"Mae…she's probably more nervous of meeting you, than you are of meeting her…"

"I'm not nervous!" I snapped. I had seen her once being swept out of Emmett's lab by her "people". She wasn't particularly tall, but she was perfectly proportioned and had a natural complexion women, me included would kill for.

Carlisle was smirking. I was not in the mood for smirking.

"You're no help." I said turning back to the mirror. I'd been working out and training like crazy I just hoped my toned arms and legs wouldn't look Madonna style scary in a dress.

Okay, now he was chuckling as he stalked towards me. I scowled as his arms wrapped round my waist from behind and he kissed my shoulder.

" If I have to choose, I say what you have on right now…is absolutely…stunning…" he growled into my ear, grazing my lobe with his teeth before allowing his mouth to wander down my neck. I was in my bra and a pair of high legged briefs that wouldn't show too badly beneath the summer dress the unexpected warm weather had allowed me to wear.

"You…" I sighed as I tilted my head, giving him more access to my neck, "are really not…helping…" I moaned, as his hands began to wander over my bare and rapidly heating skin.

"You asked my opinion…and I gave it…would you rather I left…and carried on looking…for my shoe…?" he murmured, the fingers of one hand teasing my breast, whilst the other hand slipped into my briefs. Me, arching my body back against him and reaching back to pull his head to my lips for a kiss, whilst his talented fingers began to tease my already wet core gave him his answer.

"What about your dresses love?" he said as the two dresses in my hand fell to the floor.

"Don't need them…not where…we're going…"

"Sorry we're late…" I said later when Carlisle and I finally made it to the party and I got to hug the birthday girl.

"No you're not… but you're a newlywed who should technically still be on her honeymoon, so I'll forgive you." Rose chuckled quietly.

She was right, I wasn't, not really, but that didn't stop me from blushing with embarrassment. When Carlisle and I had finally emerged from our lust haze, I had, despite my desire to get the party, been so relaxed that I had just thrown on the first dress my hand had reached on the floor. Carlisle and I both looked a little rumpled, but we didn't really care.

"Nice of you to join us finally…" Emmett boomed draping a large arm over my shoulder and pulling me into his side for a friendly squeeze.

"I was saying to Bella…the traffic must have been terrible, all those Sunday drivers…I mean, what else could have made you so late?" he asked innocently, but with a wicked glint in his eye. Bella looked embarrassed enough by his comment for the both of us.

"Hi…I'm Bella…" she said holding out her hand. Her pretty face betraying the nerves she was obviously feeling, judging by the way she was biting her lower lip. She was beautiful even casually dressed in Capri pants and a shirt, but she looked so genuinely unsure of herself and vulnerable that I just wanted to hug her.

"Mae Cullen…" I said taking her hand. I couldn't believe, after what had happened before how easily the words had tripped off my tounge and how wonderful they sounded.

Bella wasn't the only one that looked surprised by hearing me say it out loud. Carlisle had come to join us carrying bottles of beer for us both his shock however had given way to a beautiful smile, which made his eyes which were shining with delight even brighter.

"That's a bit of a state secret…even from some of the people here so…"

"Not a problem…I've had a lot of practice…congratulations." She said smiling warmly.

"Mae…I need you to settle an argument…" Emmett said suddenly. "Which is my best side do you think?" he said twisting his head so I saw both his left and right profile.

"Em, you're devilishly handsome either way." I said lightly, still a little confused by the question. Neither Rose or Bella were any help, they were both standing back rolling their eyes and trying not to laugh. Emmett turned back to face me, his face pained.

"Mae…darling, you really have to stop this shameless flirting with me…it was fun what we had, but I have my Rosie now and you have Carlisle…it wouldn't be fair…" he sighed dramatically.

"Okay, how many drinks has he had?" I demanded with an embarrassed, laugh. Carlisle growled at him lowly before pulling me against his side. Emmett merely shrugged as if to say 'what can I say'

"Nope he's sober…Bella has arranged for him to have a cameo part in a lab scene in her new movie." Rose explained.

"There are no small parts Rosie my darling…especially on me…" he chuckled, earning a sharp swat across the chest from Rose who rolled her eyes, "merely small actors." He finished.

"Um…I think Edward may need a little help…" Bella said quietly. We all looked over to where Edward was manning the large grill and fending off the attentions of Jake and some of the other members of the team that were hassling him for food that was not ready.

"Where's Jasper, he never lets anyone else near his grill?" Carlisle asked, his tone only half joking when we reached Edward. Rose and I were more concerned with the shy smiles Bella and Edward were giving each other.

"Well Jazz was out here talking to the human garbage disposal." Edward said loudly in Jake's direction. Jake merely grinned and waved his burger.

"What can I say? I'm a growing boy…" he called.

"Next thing Al has stormed inside, Jasper followed, telling me to mind the store till he got back…that was nearly forty minutes ago." He said, his own face creasing in concern as he thought things through.

"Maybe they hit the same traffic jam Carlisle and Mae did?" Emmett said grinning wickedly.

But before we could speculate any further, an, unusually frazzled looking Jasper appeared.

"You made it." He said, his smile not reaching his eyes.

"Okay…how mad is she that we're so late?" I asked lightly.

"What? Oh…she's not mad…at you…" Jasper sighed distractedly.

Carlisle was standing behind me, his arm round my waist. I felt him tense as we observed Jasper. The rare arguments Alice and Jasper had were usually loud, intense and over as quickly as they begun, but the raid on the store and the stress of our upcoming face off with Theirson and his goons had left us all on edge. Before I could speak, Rose had grabbed my hand and made a weak excuse for her and me to head into the house.

"Alice was in the lounge last time I saw her…" Jasper said weakly, he still looked distracted and confused but there was gratitude in his eyes.

"Now Edward, make sure you look after Bella…the keystone cops…" I said gesturing round the garden at the various members of our team and their partners before, focusing a particularly harsh glare at Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett "Can forget that not all conversations with strangers have to turn into full blown criminal interrogations." I huffed.

Carlisle and Emmett looked at each other as if to say "she's talking about you not me." Even Jasper smiled sheepishly as he remembered the grilling I had received when I had first met them all. The questions becoming more personal as the drinks I had been buying in an attempt to impress them all flowed. Carlisle had been the same with Rose. He had been very charming, but had still managed to get her life story, past dating history and the location of her butterfly tattoo out of her inside twenty minutes.

"Yes M'am." Edward said with a smile and an adorably cute blush covering his cheeks as he relinquished control of the grill back to Jasper and went to stand near Bella.

Rose and I heard Alice before we saw her. Heartbreaking sobs were echoing down the stairs from the bedrooms.

"The…the bathroom is at the end of the hall…" Alice stammered in answer to the knock she thought had come from one of the party guests.

We pushed the door open, to see Alice curled up in the centre of the large bed clutching a pillow tightly to her chest.

"Is Jasper okay?" she asked quietly.

"He's confused…worried…" I said quietly.

"He's not the only one…I know I haven't been around much lately…but you've been acting strange even for you…" Rose said as we moved over to the bed and curled up either side of Alice, who huffed, a tearful laugh at Rose's words.

"I'm so scared…" she said finally, her large eyes shining with tears and fear. She looked so small, so fragile I couldn't stop myself from pulling her into my arms for a hug.

"Are you still having the nightmares? Flash backs?" I asked running through every way I knew to cause someone intense physical pain in my mind. Talbot was going to be begging me to shoot him when I finally caught up with him.

"Not for me…well yeah for me…but…I'm terrified something's going to happen to Jasper…" she wailed burying her head in my neck. I knew Alice worried, as did every police officers partner when we went out into the field, and with the work we did she had more reason to worry than most, but in all the time I had known her I had never seen Alice react like this. She had said more than once that she trusted in Jasper's skill and Carlisle's and later my ability to plan things in a way that reduced risks as much as humanly possible.

"Honey…it's a tough case but we're all really sharp, on our game…"

"Jake's not!" she said sharply pulling away from me. My confusion must have shown on my face.

"His hand…his hand is strapped up…"

"It's a sprain, the doc told him to keep it strapped as a precaution for a few days…he came into the lab for something the day after you got back from training. Leah wasn't interested in his whining so he decided to tell me…" Rose explained. Rose was a very caring person but she wasn't someone who handled other people's illness or injury very well.

"But it's the hand he holds his gun in…what if it's more damaged than the doctor thought? Soft tissue damage can take forever to heal properly…even when it does where you damaged can still be weak. What if it cramps up, or he gets pain when he needs to fire his gun? Someone could get hurt…Jasper could get hurt…" Alice babbled in an emotional rush, her head whipping between Rose and I.

"Al…take a breath…Jasper can handle himself…you know this…" I said firmly, turning on the bed and gripping her shoulders to make her face me. "And if anyone needs to be worried about Jake it's me not you…Jake is paired with Carlisle…I'll be working with Jasper…"

"You…oh thank god. You'll keep him safe…you'll bring him home to me…me and the baby…" Alice exhaled in a noisy desperate and frantic rush.

"Did she say baby?" Rose asked slowly.

I nodded dumbly. It took Alice a long moment to surface from her panic and realize what she said. She blushed and began to run a hand roughly through her short spiky hair.

"That's why I've been in such a state…" she said quietly. "We've tried for years with no luck and it turns out that I'm allergic to the fertility drugs…I tried one course and ended up really ill…we…we'd given up trying for a biological child…we were going to look into adoption…then…"

"I crashed back into your lives bringing a load of drama and stress you didn't need." I sighed, still a little stunned.

"Yes things have been a little crazy since you came back…but without you…if mine in and the doctor's math is right…it happened the night of the raid on the store."

"Every cloud huh?" Rose chuckled quietly.

"I'm sorry… about freaking out…I'm just so scared…I know you guys are the best…that he can handle himself… but I've had such a bad feeling about this case…from the start… we've wanted this for so long…but I can't do it without him…and I'm so scared for the baby…if I lose it." Alice babbled again before looking at me horrified as she realized what she said. I knew she was thinking about what happened to me and whilst I did feel a pang of jealousy

" Alice, I promise that I will do everything I can to keep Jasper safe. And as for the baby, it's wonderful news…you and Jasper will make wonderful parents…and will give Carlisle and I plenty of practice for when our time comes…but that time isn't now…" I said smoothing her mussed hair from her face and kissing the top of her head.

"_If anyone needs to worry about Jake it's me…he's paired with Carlisle." _

_The plan was working. The Prince had arrived safely at the base for his luncheon, his car having been escorted in a convoy made up of his own protection team at the front and me and Jasper at the back. The kidnap threat against him and the openness of the military base and hangar where the luncheon was being held meant that we would have him under tight personal guard. Carlisle and Jake would be flanking him whilst his own team ran a protective outer cordon. Leah and Emily would be extra eyes and hands in the hangar whilst Harris and Tweed and Jasper and I would be co-ordinating the extra men Julian from MI5 had given us to protect against an ambush._

_Everything was going to plan. The Prince was safely through his lunch, Carlisle and Jake were walking him back towards his car where Jasper and I would take over getting him back to London. Nothing had happened. Jasper was going to get home safely to Alice and find out he was going to be a Daddy, what he had wanted for so long. So why was I so nervous…where was Theirson?_

_Carlisle and Jasper were only feet from the car when a bright glint caught my eye._

"_SNIPER!" Jasper managed to yell, just as the first shot bounced off the tarmac._

"_I've got him." Jake yelled raising his gun. But he froze and a second shot tore the air._

"_MAN DOWN! CULLEN HAS BEEN HIT!" one of the Prince's protection squad screamed. I raced round the car from where I had taken cover, to see Jasper pulling Carlisle's body which had been curled protectively over the Prince back into his arms._

_The only colour on Carlisle's pale, lifeless face was the angry red of the blood dripping from the bullet wound in his head._

"_NO! NO! CARLISLE! NOOO! PLEASE NO…CARLISLE!" I screamed._

"MAE! MAE! I'm here…MAE, WAKE UP!" Carlisle's firm voice and the feel of hands gripping my shoulders penetrated the fog of sleep and fear clouding my mind, allowing me to realize that I was sat bolt upright in bed, my body slicked with a cold sweat, staring into Carlisle's frantic face as he knelt up on the bed in front of me. I raised my hands and began to frantically map his face, feel his skin beneath my fingers.

"Love…what was it? What were you dreaming about?" he asked desperately. I shook my head in an attempt to focus.

"Alice…worried…Jasper…she's really scared…everything…go wrong…Jake…his hand…he froze…snipers…it all went wrong…Alice said it would…you…you…" I babbled tearfully.

"Mae…Mae…Alice is, despite what she thinks, still freaked out by the raid. Add that to her new pregnancy hormones and all the bad cop movies she watches and her sixth sense is a little off sweetheart…" Carlisle said earnestly before he crushed me against his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around me, holding my head in place over his heart. All I could do for several long moments, was listen to the strong beat of his heart and take deep calming breathes of his scent. It took me another moment to realize that the strange whimpering noises I could hear were coming from me.

Carlisle slowly, gently lay us back down still wrapped in each other's arms, all the while crooning words of love and comfort in my ear.

"I hate seeing Jasper so upset…but I'm kind of glad Alice hasn't told him. An argument he can put an argument out of his head…but a baby…they've wanted this for so long. He is going to be a complete bag of nerves for the next nine months…but it's Emmett I'm going to have to watch. He's going to be spending a lot of time there whilst Rose is still staying there…I'm expecting him to develop a phantom pregnancy." Carlisle chuckled quietly a little later. Alice had agreed that I could tell Carlisle.

I knew he was trying to talk me down and I loved him for it and thinking of a hormonal pregnant Emmett was funny.

"Alice said pretty much the same thing about why she didn't tell Jasper yet…and if she waits till next week…she'll be twelve weeks along…their first scan is booked for next Friday." I said against his chest.

"How do you feel with all this…really?" he asked his hands stroking my shoulder.

"I told Alice that I will do everything I can to keep Jasper safe… although I don't think I'll need to…Jasper is really on his game."

Carlisle growled. I knew that wasn't really what he was asking about.

" I said that we would love to babysit to get some practice in for when our time came…but that this wasn't our time…" I said quietly moving so my chin was on his chest, and I was looking up at him as I let my hand move up and caress his face. I couldn't help the anxiety that I could hear colouring my voice. It was what we had agreed, but had having this happen so close to home changed his mind?

"I couldn't have put it better myself." Carlisle replied taking my hand in his and kissing my palm. "Mae…your dream?" he began gently. I was suddenly gripped by a need to see more of him, really feel him. I rolled over so I was sat up straddling his legs.

"It's silly… I should have eaten a little more with my beer." I sighed as I took his hands in mine meshing our fingers together before raising them to my own lips.

"Mae…we're all as ready for this as we can be…we're a good…great team, all of us…even Jasper will be razor sharp however worried he is about Alice. If something does go wrong…I have confidence we can handle it. Alice watches too much TV and bad cop movies. C'mon Mae…I'm the worrier remember not you…where's Agent Marshall my tough side kick?" he asked.

"Sidekick?" I said raising an eyebrow as still with our hands joined I began leaning forward and stretching Carlisle's arms out horizontally at his sides.

"Partner in crime?" he offered with a chuckle as he reached up to nip my lower lip.

"Better." I growled claiming his mouth for a kiss, which ended up becoming a little desperate as all my own fears of what we had to face combined with Alice's fears, overwhelming me.

"Mae…sweetheart…" Carlisle said his tone anxious as he pulled away a little so he could look into my face, which was hovering above his. He pulled his hands from mine and gently moved my hair out of my face, before cupping it in his hands.

"Agent Marshall…she'll be there when you need her…tomorrow…won't let you down…but tonight…tonight I need to be Mrs Mae Cullen…I need to be your wife…I need to tell you…show you how much I love you…" I breathed.

"I love you too my darling…so much…" Carlisle replied peppering my face with kisses.

"I know…" I hiccoughed, swallowing hard on the lump of tears I could feel forming in my throat. I pulled my nightshirt over my head and threw it behind me, before lowering my mouth to his neck. Carlisle's hands were lightly skimming over me, but he seemed to understand that I needed to control this moment.

I trailed my way along his jaw, down his neck and along his collar bone until I found the spot where his neck met his shoulder, moaning lowly at the salty taste of the sensitive skin there.

"God Mae…" Carlisle hissed as I teased his hardened nipple with a graze of my teeth and a swipe of my tounge. His hips bucked up against me, allowing me to feel even through the sheet how much he wanted me.

"You really are a beautiful man…and you're mine…" I said unable to hide the sense of wonder as I let my hands and then my mouth trace the contours of his broad chest and well defined stomach.

"Always." He sighed, his body arching beneath me, his hands tangling in my hair. I lifted my head.

"Say that again…please…" I said moving back up his body and resting my weight on my arms as I gazed down into his beautiful face. His eyes were hooded with lust, but there was still so much love there.

"Always my darling…I always have been and always will be yours…and nothing or nobody will change that…forever Mae…forever…" he said roughly before our lips crashed together, the kiss quickly deepening as we both needed to explore, taste and draw strength.

Carlisle had let me set a slow, easy, teasing rhythm as I rode him. His eyes never left mine, his hands never stopped their journey over my breasts torso and legs as he told me how beautiful I was and how much he loved me. I could feel the coil of need in my stomach tightening, pushing me towards the edge, but I didn't want to go alone…I felt strangely vulnerable and a little scared all of a sudden.

"Carlisle…" I whimpered, my hands reaching for him a little desperately.

"I'm here… my beautiful wife…right here…Always…" he ground out as he sat up, wrapping his arms round me from beneath my shoulders and crushing me to his chest.

"For…ever…" I moaned my head falling back as he began to thrust up against me, hitting my sweet spot over and over as the change in angle moved him even deeper inside me.

"Forever my darling…will…love you…always and forever…" he growled into my neck. I wasn't sure if it was his words or the vibration of his voice through my body, but I felt the coil in my stomach tighten just a little further before springing open violently as my orgasm crashed over me in seemingly never ending waves. I think I almost screamed as I gripped his shoulders tightly.

"Mae…oh god…Mae…I…shit…yes…" Carlisle moaned as my tightening and spasming muscles pulled him over the edge with me more than once, judging by his sounds and how he seemed to keep growing and twitching within me. Finally we both came down to earth. There were no words just a deep, tender kiss before Carlisle laid us down. We were facing each other, foreheads touching hand's, over each other's hearts. Out there, despite DCS Cullen's and Agent Marshall's best efforts Alice was right, anything could happen. But in here, where it mattered, nothing and nobody could come between Carlisle and Mae.

**FELIX POV-July 3****rd****-4.00AM**

He was an unpredictable, ungrateful screwed up bastard, but I loved him. I knew that this latest plan, 'the big one', his chance to go down in history, to be remembered, to prove to his father that he wasn't a waste of space, would either see him dead or rotting for the rest of his life in a prison cell. I had done everything I could to talk him out of it but I knew, deep down that he needed to do this, it was the first time I had seen him truly happy, truly alive in years. As he had told me, he needed more in his life than trying to keep a struggling business afloat whilst waiting for whatever snatched moments we could have together.

"Fuck it!" I screamed into the empty room as I strained once more at the ties shackling me to the bed.

I was Felix Cosgrove, a respected tough guy in the London criminal underworld. Men like me weren't supposed to be gay, I had never wanted to be gay, I had only ever wanted to be normal, fit in, that's why I had married Nessie, she was a great girl, loving and kind but she couldn't give me what Christian bloody Theirson could emotionally as well as physically.

Tears coursed down my cheeks as I realized that the man I cared for, the man I loved, was going to die…violently. If only I could have given him more, been what he needed me to be, I only I hadn't hired those idiots Talbot and Mitchell…if only Christian had never met that bloody fat little spook, let him get under his skin…inside his head.

Christian and I had needed one more happy memory before everything kicked off and we lost each other. And if I was honest, I had wanted one last chance to try and talk him out of his madness. We had gone for a long boozy dinner before retiring to a hotel for the night. Harry Dean and his thugs had burst through the door just over half an hour ago.

"Aww, how romantic…hope you made it one to remember ladies…might be a while before it happens again…to Felix at least…I'm sure a handsome fella like Christian will make lots of new special friends where he's going…" Dean had sneered. I had lunged at him, only to receive a blow to the throat from one of his thugs that sent me reeling.

"If you know what's good for you Princess you'll stay put." One of the thugs had sneered. Dean however, knew that despite how drunk I was, that wasn't going to happen. The last I remember was blurred visions and distant voices telling Christian to get dressed as plans had changed and he was needed down at the military base. Christian wasn't meant to be involved until they got the Prince to where they were holding him.

"We don't want you there believe me…but that prat Talbot has gone AWOL and the boys are a little jumpy that you might suddenly develop a patriotic conscience…start confessing your sins to the coppers…" I'd heard them say before the darkness claimed me.

I didn't like this. Dean's men were unpredictable at the best of times, now they were pissed off and nervous…all because of that little shit Talbot going on the missing list. If Christian was harmed because of him…I would spend the rest of my life hunting him down, before ripping him limb from limb.

**ESME POV-July 3****rd**** 9.30 am-SCI Briefing Room London**

"Are we a hundred per cent sure it was James Talbot…the face was a real mess." I heard Carlisle say.

"Yes…fingerprints and DNA all match…" Rose said with a quiet authority.

"And you're sure that his neck had already been broken before, he'd been hung?" Leah asked.

"Yes! Doctor McCarty may have been dragged from his bed at three thirty am to make a two hour car journey before, being faced with a badly beaten and thanks to this heat, decomposing body hanging from the rafters but…I can assure you he carried out his job thoroughly and professionally and my opinion concurs with his totally…" Rose snapped, before turning on her heel and stalking from the room.

"I…" Leah began.

I shook my head warning her to leave it. We had all dismissed Alice's fears as trauma and pregnancy induced hysteria…but she was right. Her bad feeling that something was going to go wrong was coming true.

Carlisle and I had received the call just after three am this morning telling us that a body had been found hanging from the rafters of the airplane hangar where the Prince was due for lunch in just over twenty four hours. The place had been sown up tight with security for the last ten days. There was no damn way this should have happened. The confirmation that the badly beaten body belonged to James Talbot only added to our anxiety. Had Theirson flipped? Exactly what type of men did he have working for him? Did he have control anymore? There were so many damn questions and not enough time to answer them. I ran a hand over my face. God where the hell had this fear…this doubt come from all of a sudden?

"Despite my best efforts…the powers that be have decreed that the lunch will still go ahead…"

My head snapped up. Carlisle did not look at me, merely kept his gaze on the entire room.

"They're moving it to the base Commander's house…the big house just outside the main gate."

"You are fucking kidding me right?" I snapped.

"Afraid not Agent Marshall." Carlisle replied coolly. "It's a pain in the arse I know…but we can handle this…" Carlisle said to the room and me in a tone that brokered no further argument.

Damn it Mae pull yourself together and focus. I told myself sharply. You promised him that Agent Mae Marshall would be there when he needed her and jesus, I could see by the tension in his body and his jaw that he needed me now.

"Got a spare one of those?"

I turned from my position leaning on the railing that ran round the station roof, the favourite haunt of the smokers in the summer. I held out my pack of cigarettes.

"I'm taking Jake and the team down to the base in about an hour…give us more time to run over the house…refine our new plan…personally oversee the fucking security." He hissed, running his free hand over his face.

"I'm sorry…for mouthing off in there."

"You were only saying what the others were thinking… and repeating what I said when Julian told me." He chuckled humourlessly.

"I guess I'm just finding out the hard way…that keeping Agent Marshall and Mrs Cullen separate may not be as easy as I first thought…" I sighed.

"But when it matters, you will." He said. It was a statement not a question. His tone was matter of fact, almost blasé about the whole thing as he draped his arm over my shoulder and cuddled me to his side.

"So will you…" I replied leaning my head against his shoulder.

"True…mainly because I really don't want Agent Marshall actually succeeding in breaking my nose if I didn't."


	12. Chapter 12

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT.**

**AN; Big thanks as always all my regular and new readers. Couldn't do it without you. Please keep doing what you do. You guys are all big softies when it comes to babies Alice and Jasper thank you for your ! There is an M rating on this chapter for violence, language and dark images.**

**CARLISLE POV-July 3****rd**

"We can handle this." I had told the team…Mae…myself.

Talbot being found like he was, where he was, was a worrying development and a very loud wakeup call about what type of men we were facing. My team was the best and we were in the best physical shape we had been in for a long time, but we were, and if I hadn't been as guilty of it as my team were, I would have seen it sooner, too relaxed, too confident, too cocky and sure of ourselves. It had been a long while since we had been faced with a case, villains that could really challenge us. We had just gone along with people's assumptions and our own inflated senses of self belief, that we were the best and that we would catch them. And we would, I knew we would, but it was going to be a much harder fight than we expected.

As worried as I was about how Alice's news would affect Jasper, he loved her with a depth and passion that almost, matched what I felt for Mae and he was desperate to prove to himself that he was a better father than his had been, I was kind of glad that Alice had had her little melt down yesterday and that it had affected Mae in the way it had last night and today. It had broken my heart to see her so scared and to hear her screaming my name with such terror and desperate pleading in her voice. Being taken or separated from each other, was and I think always would be our greatest fear. But whilst we had taken steps to confront and destroy the thing responsible for that on a personal level, I had to come out of the next few days unharmed not only for Mae, but so I could be front and centre in the public gallery when Jane was forced through the humiliation of being back in the dock for a bail review on Friday morning! We hadn't really confronted the threats that our job held over us. Getting married-I'm a married man, she married me, she's mine…I'm hers…forever. I will be forever devoted to which ever deity made that possible! That had given us peace of mind, made our time together all the more special. But if we were both honest, we had both been taking the strength of professional relationship for granted, clinging to it as a steady constant whilst we were thrown about by the turmoil in our private life. We had been relying on the Agent Marshall and Carlisle Cullen of the past to protect us from harm professionally. And we were still the best at our jobs, but we weren't that those people anymore, we were more than that. Stronger in some ways, weaker in others as my stunt of going to confront Talbot alone and almost getting myself killed had proved.

What we had told each other was true, we did give each other the added incentive and strength to do what it took to come through battles, be it with villains or the suited blood suckers in the command corridor unharmed, but no amount of training could prepare us for the added sense of desperation, frustration and fear that came from seeing or imagining the other in physical danger. It had taken everything I had not to smash the soldier's we had been training with into pieces when I saw him really working Mae over and when that little shit Mitchell had spat in her face… Thierson was our professional nightmare, one we had to…we would overcome, I knew deep down that when it mattered, when it counted our strength wouldn't fail us, but it would be harder than we both had thought.

I had been so lost in my thoughts that it took me a minute to realize that my phone was ringing. I hit the button on the hands free kit and began tapping my hands impatiently on the steering wheel. The journey down to the military base was going to take longer than I would like, thanks to more bloody roadworks.

"Rose?"

"Um…hi Carlisle…I'm really sorry to bother you…but you haven't seen or heard from Emmett have you?" she asked quietly.

"He's still not shown?" I asked in concern. Shit! I really didn't need this now but I couldn't leave her or Emmett until I knew they were okay. After dealing with Talbot's body at the military base, where he had been very thorough, but brutally cold and sharp with everyone, including Rose, Emmett had roared off in his car to clear his head as he always did when he was faced with a hanging case. Poor Rose had ridden back to London with Mae and me to attend the briefing. I had assumed that Emmett would have been back by now and explained things to Rose. Obviously not. It wasn't really my place but the worry and fear in Rose's fear was heartbreaking.

"I just want to know he's okay…" her voice was impossibly soft. "I know I can bug him with the way I do things at a crime scene, but…it's more than that isn't it? He looked…haunted when he saw that body…" she sighed.

" That's a good choice of words…Rose can you hear me okay…I'm in the car?"

"You're fine, I always hold the phone to my good ear and it's a relatively small quiet space and I can understand you better than anyone really apart from maybe Edward. Your accents and diction are really clear…" she said warmly in answer to my unasked question.

"Finally, I get to use my overpriced education for something really important." I said sincerely. I didn't know her incredibly well yet, but from what I had seen and what Mae had told me, Rose may be complicated, but she was also a truly warm and beautiful person inside and out. She had totally changed Emmett's life.

"I've called everywhere I can think of…I even called your place, he said you gave him a spare key for emergencies…I ended up talking to your cleaner Mrs Doyle…she's lovely, her accent makes her a little hard to understand though."

"Mae wanted to do all the housework herself, but we work such crazy hours we decided to keep my old daily Mrs Doyle on three mornings a week…but Mae still insists on cleaning up as much as she can before Mrs Doyle comes! She doesn't want Mrs D thinking that she keeps a dirty house and that she's not looking after me." I said shaking my head in confusion at the strange logic.

"I can totally understand that." Rose said in a way that sounded like she was nodding.

"You can?"

"Carlisle…don't worry about it…it's a girl thing…" she said in a tone that pitied Mae having to deal with my ignorance.

Rose looked torn. She had been up as long as I had, had been just as busy and probably been too worried to eat.

"Rose…if Emmett is where I think he, is he's okay…"

"You guys…you didn't seem surprised at how Emmett was this morning…he was so cold, so distant…I've never seen him like that at a crime scene…" Rose sighed.

"And you won't at any other type of crime scene. Beatings, beheadings, dismemberings, some pretty nasty fires that have had seasoned firemen heaving…Em will handle them all in his own unique way…but hangings…they…you chose the right word earlier…they haunt him more than the rest. I really shouldn't be the one telling you this…" I could almost see her pleading with me down the phone line. "Emmett's best friend…Steven…he hung himself." I said finally.

Rose gasped.

"They had been best friends since they were children. They were both quite shy…"

Rose seemed to choke.

"I know, shy is not the first word that springs to mind when it comes to describing Emmett." "But according to his mum…have you met Fi yet?"

Rose shook her head.

"She's quite a character, she's barely five feet tall but she can reduce a room full of grown men to quivering wrecks with a look…Emmett was quite shy, he had a slight stammer, it still comes out sometimes when he's tired or really stressed."

"I..I thought he was putting that on." Rose squeaked.

"We all did at first, anyway Emmett and Steven did everything together until High School. One of his teachers encouraged him to join the drama club to help his speech and his confidence…well as we know it worked…" I said chuckling. "Emmett became really popular with the other guys and…girls…" I said feeling weirdly embarrassed. "He and Steven drifted apart as people do at that age. It was one of Emmett's first calls as a crime scene examiner and one of my first calls in CID…Steven's body was found hanging in his flat. It had been there…a while…Steven's life hadn't been easy, he found it even more difficult to make friends "

I thought I heard Rose mutter "my poor baby." But it was so quiet I wasn't sure. I couldn't help the shudder that passed over me as I remembered that day and the look on Emmett's face.

"Emmett and I went out that night and got very, very, drunk, he crashed out on my sofa and the rest as they say is history. Emmett can be loud, obnoxious and a bit much at times, but the only way he knows to cope with the guilt he still feels about Steven is to love his friends even more."

"But it wasn't his fault…" Rose said fiercely.

I shrugged as if to say 'I know that, you know that'.

"It's Emmett's way. Underneath all those muscles and that bluster…that big heart of his is very soft. When we get a hanging case, a lot of that old guilt hits him again. He'll be at Steven's grave…and then in the pub down the road."

I gave Rose the address of the cemetery and emailed her a map from my I-phone.

"Carlisle, was Mae okay after the BBQ yesterday…after Alice's little melt down?" Rose asked me a little nervously after a few minutes. She wasn't being nosy, there was genuine concern there.

"Eventually." I said carefully.

"Nightmare?"

Mae must have heard my sharp, surprised intake of breath.

"She had a lot of those…but I guess she had damn good reason." Rose said sharply, before muttering a sheepish apology.

"I totally agree…I will never truly forgive myself for not doing more to stop Mae being forced to endure…what she did…" I said trailing off.

"Carlisle…she's forgiven you…that's all that matters, what I think…"

"You're one of her best friends…you had to pick up the pieces."

Rose made a strange noise in her throat at my words.

"It was the least I could do after what she did, what she gave me…" Rose said roughly. " The worst was over when we met…until she was…hurt…she called for you a few times…sorry, this probably isn't the time."

She was probably right, but there was still so much about our time apart we hadn't discussed, that I wanted, but didn't want to know.

"Please." I whispered.

"The ones more recently…whilst we were in DC…when you…"

"Pulled my supercop shit." I offered. Rose chuckled.

"That day…that night…she really fell apart. She kept saying that she knew it was too good to be true…that she should have known that the two of you being back together…that it was really nothing but a beautiful nightmare…"

"Rose…I have to…I have to go…the traffic's moving…" I stammered cutting the connection. Oh Mae…my beautiful brave Mae…

"NO MORE!" I roared, slapping the steering wheel violently. Theirson had got under everyone's skin, put us all on edge and it had to stop, none of us deserved it. Mae and I were learning that no amount of training physical or otherwise could really prepare us for the emotions we had to face when it came to working together, but I knew we would face it and win because apart from the fact we both loved and were great at our jobs, we were tired of being scared, of the nightmares that saw us too afraid to enjoy what we have and the amazing life we had earned in the future. I chuckled lowly. Theirson may have on us on the back foot for the moment, but he was about learn the hard way, what happened when you pissed off or tried to separate Cullen and Marshall.

"Windows?" I snapped at Jake as we walked round the house where the Prince's lunch had been moved too for the fifth time.

"Fifteen upper, twenty seven lower."

"Exits?"

"Eight and yes I did include the cellar." Leah said wearily.

We entered the main dining room. There was a long main table running in front of the large French windows that covered most of the back wall. The room was large and long, but the amount of tables scattered about for the other guests would make space tight. I also didn't like the fact that depending on the weather tomorrow, the French windows that were half way down the room leading out onto the terrace that wrapped it's way around the building would be open.

Jake and I would be sat behind the Prince on either side of the doors behind the table. Harris and Tweed would be either side of the second set of windows which were now known as Position B, Leah and Emily who had been dubbed Cagney and Lacey by the others, would be by the main doors to the room. Jasper and Mae who would still be part of the convoy that escorted the Prince's car, would be outside overseeing Julian's men who were patrolling the perimeter.

"Attack from Position B!" I barked suddenly, hoping but failing to catch Harris and Tweed out. They moved easily into position weapons raised. After what they had been through getting shot, I had worried about them being on the team, but they had passed every test the shrinks could throw at them with flying colours. They had even faced down a gun man when a defendant in one of their cases had managed to sneak a weapon into court in an attempt to try and escape.

"Nicely done…" I remarked. I was standing near the centre of the room with my back towards position A, mine and Jake's position when I heard the door creak. I spun round dropping into a forward roll that had me infront of the table my weapon pointing at Julian from MI5's chest, whilst Jake who had sprinted to his other side had his pointed at the side of his head.

"Fuck Julian! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" I hissed as I stood and replaced my gun in the holster that I was wearing over my shoulders.

It took a few minutes for the colour to return to his chubby face and it was with violently shaking hands he removed his glasses and moped at his sweating face.

"My apologies Carlisle…I thought you would have heard me coming." He stammered as he lowered himself into a nearby chair.

"There's been some problem with the alarm connections in this room…"

"Serious?" he asked suddenly alert.

"No…something to do with the placement of one of the pressure pads or something…you must have passed the engineer on the way in through the door."

"Oh…yes…yes I did…he does have full…"

"Class A security clearance? Yes. I had everyone who was on the original security detail replaced first thing this morning."

"Good…good…very through…nobody will be able to accuse you of not doing everything by the book…" he mumbled. There was nothing wrong with what he said…more the way he said it. Damn it had been a long day…I was exhausted, edgy…missing Mae…

"You look exhausted my friend…are you sure that you won't reconsider and join me at the charming little guest house down the road?"

"I thought it was full?" I said running a weary hand through my hair.

"It is…but there are two single beds in my room…" he said sincerely, his eyes locking with mine.

Several members of the team behind me started simultaneously choking on the water they were drinking.

"You're very kind Julian…" I winced inwardly and prayed that the blush I could feel heating up my neck didn't show as Julian continued undressing me with his eyes. Did he know he was being so unprofessional? So shameless? In all the years I had known Julian, I had never seen him like this. This case was putting us all on edge. "But you know me…I like to lead from the front…can't leave the others here roughing it…"

"Of course…" Julian said shaking his head as if to clear it from whatever he was feeling. "Dinner then…"

"Great! I'm starving!" Jake bellowed suddenly, making both Julian and I jump. Julian didn't look overly thrilled at the prospect but I was delighted. Jake was so getting promoted.

We had dinner in a nearby village pub and Julian seemed to regain some of his control, preferring to sit with Leah and Emily, as he regaled them with one of his many stories. Our long day tomorrow and the early start we had had today, meant that we weren't out late and it wasn't long, before I was curled up in a sleeping bag listening to Jake snoring.

I wanted, needed to speak to Mae, but I knew that she would be exhausted and trying to focus her mind on the morning. Pulling out my phone I tapped out a quick text.

**C- Dream peacefully my darling, safe in the knowledge I love you **

Less than a minute later I received a reply.

**M- Know that I will be by your side, ready to fight anyone or anything that tries to come between us and the forever I cannot wait to spend loving and being loved by you- Mx**

I did.

**JULY 4****TH**

**ESME POV**

"So Captain Cullen, your mission is to keep one hyperactive and hormonal little pixie calm…think you can handle it?" I chuckled.

Edward and I were out in the garden of Alice and Jasper's house having a cigarette whilst I waited for Jasper to be ready to start our very long, tough day.

Edward grinned, looking so much like Carlisle at that moment it caused my heart to spasm painfully in my chest. We lowered ourselves onto the edges of the lounges on the deck.

"It'll be tough, but I've got Emmett for back up…he and Rose are coming out with us." I must have looked surprised. "We tend to get together and do something when we know you guys have something big on. It helps us relax and Carlisle and Jazz say it helps them knowing we're together if…" Edward said trailing off and running a hand roughly through his hair.

"Edward, we're good…damn good…we'll get through this change of venue and all." I said sincerely, my heart clenching as I saw a flash of the little boy who was terrified that he was going to lose the big brother he adored. He took a long drag on his cigarette and closed his eyes as he attempted to let the nicotine sooth him.

"Alice freaked you out…with what she said about feeling something bad was going to happen and Jake's hand…" he said suddenly without opening his eyes, it was a statement not a question. "And no, Carlisle didn't say anything." He said opening his eyes in time to catch the surprise and annoyance at the thought that Carlisle would share something so personal even with his brother flash across my face.. What was I thinking! Carlisle would never do that!

"Alice rang me later that night." He explained.

"I guess…being married makes us stronger but also a little weaker if that makes any sense. We'll still do our jobs and do them well…but there's a new level of anxiety that wasn't there before…even when we were together the first time…" I admitted. That realization had bought up a host of new questions and feelings I couldn't, didn't want to think about now but it seemed like Edward had read my mind.

"This is just an observation…" Edward began. I nodded dumbly for him to continue. "What you had then…it was amazing, passionate, real love…but it wasn't real…it was a fairytale…complete with wicked witch…" he said his voice bitter. We both shuddered, involuntarily. "This, what you have now…although it hasn't been very long…it's been more real, there has been more to it than just work…you've fought, faced fears, cried, as well as doing all the usual couple stuff." He smirked but there was a cute blush heating his cheeks. "And real couples…the thought of something happening to the other, frightens them…but what you have to figure out is if you can live with that fear, learn to use it so you can carry on working together. Today I guess you find out and that only adds to the fear."

"Wow…sure you don't want to become a detective now you're out of the army?" I stammered as I processed his words and realized how true they were. He smiled

"Edward, I would never intentionally put his life in danger…if today proves too much for us…I will walk away…not from him." I said quickly as I saw the flash of panic on his face "God no, never…never again I don't think that's physically possible…" I chuckled. " No, if it's too much I'll walk from the SCI, I'll go play with the James Bond wannabe's at MI5."

"You'd do that." Edward said surprise and something I couldn't place in his tone. He knew I hated all the red tape that went with dealing with the Security Services as much as Carlisle did, and that any work I did there would be a hell of a lot less hands on than I was doing now. I turned to face him fully tucking a leg underneath me. His large green orbs were full a million emotions. I had wanted to try and tell Edward this for a long time.

"My career is important to me yes…but it's not everything…it's not my life, not anymore. I can't live without Carlisle in my life…I can't do it…I spent seven years trying…all I did was exsist. I never thought I would get a second chance with him, to love him, to be loved by him…to live a life with him, the good and the bad. I'm not going to throw away my chance. I love him" I said hiccoughing as I tried to wipe away the tears I felt pooling in the corner of my eyes.

"You do know he'd do exactly the same for you." Edward said roughly.

I nodded. Edward then leant over and pulled me into a one armed hug.

"Thank you." He growled in my ear.

"Well I'm hoping it won't come to that…we have much more fun together." I chuckled into his neck. I knew he was thanking me for more than that, but I couldn't let myself become too lost in those emotions now. And again, as if he'd been reading my mind Edward pulled away, dropping a kiss on the top of my head as he did so.

"Anyway… thanks to the decisions you made last night during your little wedding strategy session." He said brightly

"I know I've said before that Alice should come and work for us…but after last night I'm kind of glad she doesn't, any confessions she got out of criminals would be thrown out of court for being made under duress. She is good cop, bad cop, emotional blackmail cop all rolled into one." I chuckled glad of the lightening of mood. " I really can't remember what I agreed to last night." I said honestly. I had opened the door of the apartment last night to see a pile of bridal magazines tottering towards me in high heels. It was Alice's way of trying to distract herself and me, from our nerves over what was happening today. It had been nice, but I had been exhausted and too keyed up to really be much help, I had ended up going along with whatever she suggested.

"Well judging by the orders I was presented with this morning, we will be invading several caterers, florists, photographers and vintage car hire outlets, and if we get time after shopping for some necessary essentials, we will be interrogating some poor unsuspecting musicians about their repotoire. Emmett is already perfecting his Simon Cowell impression." Edward laughed.

"How is Em?" Alice had told me that Rose had bought a very subdued and drunk Emmett home with her yesterday. I knew about Steven and I wished I could have helped Rose more in locating him and understanding, but with Carlisle having to hit the base early Jasper and I were left having to deal with a very nervous Royal Protection team as well as general SCI business.

"Thanks to Rose, Em is…Em. Alice is Alice just even more hyper than normal thanks to the added hormones…" he said quietly. God I couldn't wait for this to be over, Alice had recovered from her little melt down and had become her usual supportive self, but I could still see that Jasper was worried about her and her odd behavior. It wasn't fair on either of them, missing out on what should be such a wonderful, happy, exciting time.

"How are you?" Edward asked pointedly.

"More than ready for this to be over." I admitted with a tight smile. Edward nodded.

"It's always the waiting that's the hard part. Gives you too much time to think." He said knowledgably. As a front line army medic, he may have been dealing with the fallout of chaos but the tension, the anticipation of the horror he was about to face was very similar to how we were feeling.

"MAAAEEE! EDDDDWAAARDDD!" Alice bellowed suddenly from inside the house, making us both jump.

We entered the kitchen to see Alice flapping about piling food down onto their large kitchen table in front of Jasper.

"So that's my breakfast sorted out…what are you guys having?" Emmett boomed as he entered the room casually dressed. Alice had barely glanced at him before declaring

"You will have to go home and change mister." in a tone that brokered no argument.

"Eat you two…you can't go catch bad guys on an empty stomach." She insisted moving dishes between Jasper and I. Jasper looked delighted but also a little confused at her mood.

"If she's like this now…can you imagine what she's going to be like when she actually has the baby?" Rose muttered to me as she sat down next to me. Jasper observed us threw narrowed eyes. We both smiled in a way we hoped was innocent.

We chatted for a little while longer and I nibbled at some toast, but I was too keyed up. I wanted, needed this over and I could see Jasper was feeling the same although he was hiding it, a hell of a lot better than I was managing to as he chatted with everyone and kept finding excuses to touch Alice. My body was aching with a need to touch, feel Carlisle, lose myself in the safety of his arms. It had been overwhelming exhaustion that had caused me to sleep last night, my phone his text still on the screen, clutched in my hand.

"Ready partner?" Jasper said suddenly, squeezing my shoulder.

The room had become deafeningly silent, four pairs of eyes focused on us as we stood.

"Let's get this done…" I said quietly

**FELIX POV**

"HAVE YOU SEEN HIM?" I bellowed into the girls face as I held her by the throat against the wall.

"NO…NOO…SWEAR…" she whimpered.

"What the fuck's your game pal?" her pimp demanded roughly from behind me.

Throwing the young hooker back onto the unmade bed I had dragged her from, I turned to face the thickset young man who was looming towards me machete in hand.

"If you know what's good for you…" I warned.

"If I know what's good for me?" he snorted. "You burst in here laying your hands on one of my best girls…"

Jesus you really couldn't get the staff these days I thought, not if that hard faced, undernourished skank was the best he could get. With a snarl of disgust, I threw what was left in my wallet onto the bed. As scared as she was, the girls grasping hands had shot out to snatch up the notes. This was the most expensive night out I would ever have I thought randomly. Dinner, the hotel, I had left a couple of hundred pounds on what was left of the bed I had destroyed getting free, Doc Palmer had charged extra for the "out of hours" call I had paid him to put a couple of stitches in my banging head, then had come the trawl through all the dives and holes that I thought a street rat like Talbot would hole up in if he wanted to hide. But it was no good, the little weasel really had disappeared, meaning that Christian was still in even more danger than he had been before.

It was the mixture of my anger at Talbot and my fear for Christian that saw me break the nose, arm and knee of the pimp who had lunged at me with his machete.

Damn it Felix focus! I told myself in desperation as I pounded my aching head with the palms of my hands in attempt to clear the fog around my brain. I knew the lunch was due to take place in the early afternoon and that Cullen would more than likely be down at the base for the Prince to arrive. All posh boys together. But I hadn't expected the American bird…what was her name? Marshall? I hadn't expected both her and the lanky cowboy Whitlock to be gone from the office and un- contactable so early. Although I suppose I should have done, they would be taking no chances, taking the long, scenic route down to the base. Talking to, helping, asking for help from the police went against everything I had been raised to believe in but I was desperate and running out of time. I didn't give a toss what happened to the Prince or Cullen and his firm for that matter, but they were the only ones who could do anything now to even try and get Christian away from those mad army bastards he had been talked into hiring by that fat little spook.

"Felix…where the hell have you been? What happened to your head?" Nessie demanded, her shrill high pitched voice drilling through my head.

"Have you touched anything in here?" I demanded as I rifled through the papers scattered across the desk in my home office.

"No, course not…" she pouted.

I had copied all the information about Cullen's brother…Eddie… off his lap top just in case, but where the fuck had I put it? Christmas? Why was I thinking of Christmas. That was it! I had told Christian that the pay day from the information on there would be like Christmas come early.

Nessie was still chattering away like some damn parrot but I just pushed her aside. I let out a noisy deep breath of relieve as my fingers closed round the small notebook I had hidden behind a loose brick in the rooms fake fire place.

"Where are you going now?" she whined after me.

"When will you be back?"

That was a very good question.

"Thank you god." I muttered as I saw Edward Cullen and what looked like Inspector Whitlock's wife climb out of a cab outside his place. I knew he was still being watched by the Spooks over what his mother had helped us do, and that he had to check in with them a couple of times a month, but it had still been a long shot, him actually being at home today of all days.

"Who the fuck…" I stammered in annoyance when I saw a giant of a man unfold himself from the cab, quickly followed by a leggy blonde. Well I'd seen bigger men than him crumble when he was looking down the barrel of a gun I thought savagely, as I ripped the pistol from its hiding place beneath the passenger seat.

"I'm sure in some cultures a woman throwing up all over you, is a sign of her intense attraction to you." I heard the big man say.

"Being that drunk at this time of the day." One of the women tutted.

"What the fuck…" the big man stammered as he finally opened the door to my knock.

"Who"? the leggy blonde began as she appeared over his shoulder. I waved the gun indicating we should move back inside.

"Don't even think about it big fella…" I growled at the big man who I could see in his eyes was preparing to try and take the gun from me.

"Emmett…please…" the leggy blonde whispered, eyes wide with fear as she clutched Whitlock's wife to her.

"Listen to the lady Emmett and sit down." I snapped.

He did, between the two women pulling them protectively to his sides. "Where's Cullen?"

"Right here…"

I turned to see Edward Cullen standing in the bedroom door behind me, toweling his hair.

"I know you!" Whitlock's wife squeaked suddenly.

"My wife really does love your jewelry." I sneered.

"What do you want?" Edward demanded.

"Your brother…I need to talk to him."

"Well you can't…he's busy trying to stop your boss's twisted little plan…" the big guy called Emmett growled.

"The plan's fucking changed…" I shot back.

"We kind of figured that when we found Talbot with his face smashed in hanging from a rafter." The blonde snarled.

I felt the uneasy knots of tension that had been forming in my stomach since Dean and his goons had taken Christian tighten painfully and my body shudder at confirmation of my worst fears. Christian wasn't running things anymore it was that fat little spook, and his pet little soldier Dean. As much as Christian hated Talbot, he would never have agreed to doing anything like that to him until after, he would never have risked his plan…

"If…if you want any chance of seeing Cullen, the American woman or Inspector Whitlock come out of this alive…call Cullen NOW!" I ground out.

"Edward, please…" Whitlock's wife had pleaded tearfully.

I could see Edward, Emmett and the blonde silently communicating as they tried to decide whether or not to believe me.

"Killing Talbot was not Christian…Theirson's idea. He would not want to change his plan…not this late in the game…the man he's working with…"

That focused their attention.

"There's someone else involved?" Edward said.

"Yep…a fat little spook who doesn't seem to realize that his job description was to protect Queen and Country."

There was no reply from Cullen, the American or Whitlock. Everyone in the room tried more than once…but they all received the same response even though Cullen and his team were all on different networks.

"**This network is currently undergoing signaling problems."**

**CARLISLE POV**

It was all going well. Too well.

Jasper and Mae had reported no problems during the convoy from London. The lunch was coming to an end, with the only unusual behavior coming from me and my team as we waited tensely for the trap we knew was waiting, to spring.

After another seemingly endless speech from the base commander, it was time to leave with a brief stop in the large reception hall for a final hand shaking session. A brief nod to Leah and Emily started the evacuation of the guests into the hall to await the Prince.

Jake and I rose as one and shadowed the Prince as he headed towards the door, our eyes constantly scanning the room and the people in it. As we approached we saw that Leah and Emily were having a hard time making the well fed and watered guests to move further into the hall. Jake and I stepped forward and began trying to clear a path for the Prince to the main doors.

"I don't like this." Jake hissed.

"Me either…where the fuck are the protection team? They were supposed to be out here in the hall on crowd control."

Suddenly, there were two loud thumps at the top of the staircase opposite us. Two masked men were standing there, Jake stepped to my side so we could block any shots at the Prince who was behind us. They fired into the air, sending people screaming and tripping over each other to find cover, but they weren't going to attack us with guns.

"GRENADES!" I screamed as I caught sight of the grenades being hurled towards us. Mae…oh god Mae I love you…I turned to fling myself over the prince but he wasn't there. He was being dragged backwards through the dining room towards an SUV that had been pulled up to the French Window's behind the main table we had just left engine running doors open. Why the hell hadn't the alarms gone off and where was Jake? In the split seconds I had before the men from the SUV started firing at me sending me diving for cover, I saw Jake staggering back towards me gasping for air, his eyes raw and streaming. The grenades had contained smoke and tear gas. I managed to grab him and pull him behind a table.

I felt rather than saw the hail of bullets richochet of the walls and table we had taken cover behind. I rose up as far as I could and joined Harris and Tweed in firing a volley of shots at the rapidly disappearing vehicle.

"THIS IS ALPHA…WE'RE BEING HIT! REPEAT WE'RE BEING HIT! THE CROWN HAS BEEN TAKEN!" I stammered into my ear piece, my voice becoming rough as the thick white smoke had begun to hit me.

**ESME POV**

"Jesus, how long does it take to eat lunch?" I demanded looking at my watch for the umpteenth time in five minutes.

Jasper chuckled.

"You'll have to get used to long boring lunches…Carlisle doesn't do a lot with his title but some of the causes he does support…you'd give them a blank check rather than suffer through one of their "events". He said drawing imaginary quotation marks in the air.

There was still so much I didn't know about the other side of Carlisle's life. Jasper's smile faded and his face became tense and serious as he turned in the driver's seat to face me.

"Mae…I know she's threatened you with death or worse…the most hideously poofy and flouncy wedding gown she can find, but please tell me…how worried do I need to be about Alice? She never, ever, in all the time we have been together, become hysterical over my safety on the job. She might have a little melt down after but…"

I held up my hand.

"Can you hear that?"

He rolled his eyes at what he thought was my attempt to change the subject, but then froze himself.

" Car…no engines too heavy…SUV?" he said, tilting his head slightly.

"We're not using SUV's…" I said, a cold chill spreading rapidly down my spine. We were using high powered, bullet proofed BMW's.

"Where's it coming from?" he said sticking his head out the driver's window.

"Behind us?" I said a little uncertainly. The convoy of cars was parked round the far side of the house. Suddenly a panicked looking protection officer came running towards us.

"Are your comms working? I've just tried to reach the house to get a time check, but there's nothing…it was fine five minutes ago" he panted.

"Alpha, this is Charlie 1 do you read me?" Jasper barked into his ear piece. It had been working fine a few minutes ago. "Alpha…I repeat, do you read…Carlisle…" he said insistently. There was nothing, not even static for about thirty seconds, but then we were all deafened by a high pitched whistle. I grabbed my cell.

"Network is down."

"Fuck! We've been…" Jasper began but was stopped by the sound of hysterical screaming, groaning and…coughing. The protection guy raced back to his car whilst Jasper raced us round to the front of the house, where we saw guests spilling out onto the drive, thick white smoke streaming out behind them.

There was no sign of Carlisle, Jake or the Prince.

"Emily…" I said jumping from the car as I saw her helping Leah out of the doors.

"We…we…were hit…two guys threw tear gas into the crowd whilst…" she broke off into a violent coughing fit.

"An SUV pulled up behind the dining room…they got the Prince…dragged him back through when he got separated from Carlisle and Jake." Leah coughed.

"Carlisle…Jake." I whispered. I swear my heart had stopped

"Tried to stop them…smoke was too thick…they were too damn fast…but Harris got one of the bastards in the arm." Tweed choked out as he staggered towards us.

And then as if he'd heard my internal pleas, Carlisle appeared in the doorway half supporting Jake. He looked pale, his chest was heaving, but he was alive. For a long moment my breathing was a ragged as his as I felt my heart start again. After sitting Jake down, Carlisle had bent double at the waist in an attempt to catch his breath. I was a little distance away, there were a hundred or so people between us and his eyes would be streaming and sore from the gas, so the chances of him actually seeing me would be impossibly small, but at that moment, Carlisle looked up and straight at me.

I mouthed a silent I love you to him before turning on my heel and jumping back into the BMW.

"I can't raise the units we've got patrolling the area…bastards have our comms well and truly jammed." Jasper snarled.

"They can't have gone that far…they wouldn't want to drive too fast through the village and they'd want to dump the SUV."

"So I guess it's time for me and you to go a huntin…" Jasper growled, a dangerous glint in his eye.

I knew it was risky heading out with no coms or way to call for back up, but time was against us.

We started from round the back of the house and followed the tyre tracks the SUV had left from travelling at such speed. It had torn up the lawn and crashed back through a small back gate that led onto a long and winding road surrounded on each side by forest. The road would eventually lead out into the village where it would only take minutes to reach the road to London.

"They're here…" Jasper said waving a hand towards the dense forest. "I can smell them…" he snarled.

"They'll want to ditch the SVU…to big, too obvious…they'll want to fit in…look like one of the guests from the base going home…" I agreed.

"…Can anyone hear us?..this is Zulu 5…we're in pursuit of target…but we could use some help…" came a frantic voice in our ears suddenly.

"Zulu this is Charlie 2, where are you?" I demanded. There was no reply for a long moment and then the silence was broken by the sound of yelling and…gunshots.

"Fuuuckk…" Jasper hissed as we knew what it could mean. Suddenly, his head snapped round to the side and he slammed the car into reverse.

"Alpha this is Charlie 2…" I gave our co-ordinates before adding "this would be a really good time for Supercop to make an appearance…" I muttered into my ear piece as Jasper and I dropped into low crouches and began to move as quietly as we could towards the small clearing where Jasper had seen the cars gathered. We split up, preparing to move in on either side. The voices of the people ahead of us echoed back to us.

"YOU BASTARD!" came an angry male voice.

"It's not personal…I swear…" another voice, which we would later find out belonged to Harry Dean, answered roughly before the air was torn by the sound of two deafeningly loud shots.

"This…this wasn't the plan…" Theirson stammered, his voice full of shock, confusion and fear as he realized…

"Hurry up and get rid of the sniveling little shit will ya…the comms are back on and I don't think the two Yanks were that far away from us…"

Jasper and I froze, our eyes locking in horror as we realized that, that was the voice of Zulu5. Before we could say or do anything, a flash of silver and a revving engine caught our attention as well as that of that of Dean, Zulu 5 and Theirson as it ploughed in from behind them. Jasper and I couldn't wait any longer, we had to take advantage of the confusion and try and if not rescue the Prince, then make sure his body came to no harm.

The silver car…a Volvo, which looked a hell of a lot like Edward's car had slammed into the SUV which had all it's doors open. There were two dead kidnappers in the driving and passenger seat, two slumped dead half in and out of the back and one, the one we must have heard, was slumped in front of the vehicle. The two man team of Zulu5 had fired at the windshield of the Volvo causing it to shatter and the occupants to duck. Dean had grabbed Thierson and was holding him in front of him as a shield as he began edging back towards the SUV which was nearest me. Jasper had moved to the other side and was approaching Zulu5.

It took me a minute, but I could just make out the twitching legs of the Prince who was laying on the floor of the SUV's back seat and was half buried beneath the body of one of the dead kidnappers. I couldn't get to him yet, but I could try and reassure the terrified Prince. Moving forward as silently as I could I approached the vehicle and whispered to the Prince to try and stay calm and that I would be back for him as soon as I could.

Dean had his back to me and Zulu5 were concentrating on the Volvo, the passenger door of which flew open to reveal Felix Cosgrove brandishing a mini machine pistol. The element of surprise meant that he was able to cut down the two man team of Zulu5 and Jasper before sagging as the bullets they had fired at him tore into his body.

"NOOO!"Theirson had screamed.

"Easy Juliet…you'll be joining Romeo in a minute…" Dean sneered as he pushed Theirson forward onto his knees. I stepped forward.

It would take Emmett almost a week to discover whether it was my bullets or the ones Felix Cosgrove had fired in a last burst of adrenaline and desperation to save the man he loved, that killed Harry Dean.

"MAE!" Carlisle's desperate call echoed with the force of an explosion round the quiet forest. Seconds later he burst through the trees followed by the rest of the team and some uniformed officers. His face was still pale and his breathing still a little ragged but I couldn't think of that now. I turned back to the SVU…the Prince was gone. Carlisle was issuing orders, including the restraint of a weeping Theirson who had crawled over to Felix.

"WILLIAM!" I yelled.

"He's here."

Edward emerged from the trees supporting a badly shocked Prince.

"Edward…what the fuck…" Carlisle and I said in unison as we approached them.

"Felix turned up at my place a couple of hours ago waving a gun about saying he needed to talk to you. The plan had changed…whoever Theirson is working with…he was calling the shots…he killed Talbot…got the location changed and…from what I saw…he wanted to do more than kidnap…" he trailed off looking at the shuddering Prince. Carlisle motioned to the Royal Protection team to take their charge to one of the waiting ambulances.

"Thankyou…all of you…" he stammered looking at Carlisle, Edward and I before being led away.

"We couldn't get through…"

"They jammed the comms…" I said.

"Well…Felix had obviously suffered some sort of head injury…he was in no fit state to drive and Alice was…"

"ALICE…WHAT DID THE FUCKER DO TO ALICE?" Jasper bellowed frantically from our left.

He was sat propped up against a tree, his face pale as blood seeped through the shoulder of his jacket. Paramedics were buzzing around him. In my panic to find the Prince I had forgotten that Jasper had been hit by Felix's bullets. Edward dropped to his knees by his side to take a look at the wound. He quickly announced to everyone's relief that Jasper would be okay. Jasper had been wearing Kevlar, but he had been half turned when Felix had fired and the bullet had entered the top of his shoulder from the side.

"Edward…"he pleaded.

"She's okay, I think she even frightened Felix with what she was threatening to do him if you were hurt… she's shaken up but okay…Emmett and Rose are with her and they were going to get her to the hospital for a check up as soon as we had gone…shit!" Edward hissed.

"Hospital? Why the fuck would she need the hospital? What did he do…get off me…what did that bastard do to my Alice?" Jasper demanded trying to struggle out of Edward and the Paramedic's grip and stand.

Carlisle pushed him down and crouched to face him.

"She's pregnant Jazz…and she's going to need you in one piece…" he said gently but firmly. Jazz looked stunned for a long moment.

"Pregnant…as in a baby…" he said finally

"Yep and knowing your luck…it'll be a girl who takes after her mother…"

" Beautiful and Perfect…" he breathed.

"She didn't want you to worry whilst we had this to deal with…it was the stress of everything that caused her to flip out at the barbeque…the fear of something happening to you…" I said.

" But she was right…" he said suddenly looking worried.

"Not quite…she was convinced you were going to die…I think she can live with your arm in a sling if it means you're their next Friday…"

He looked confused.

"You're first scan…you're going to see your baby…"

A wide, goofy smile that had nothing to do with the painkillers he had just been given spread across Jasper's face.

"I'll ride with Jazz…" Edward said.

"Are you okay?" Carlisle asked. Edward was pale and tense.

Edward nodded.

"I have seen worse…"

"I'll need you to give a statement later…explain how you came to be here…how you became the hero who rescued the Prince…" Carlisle said dryly.

"Well Mae and Jasper seemed a little busy… I managed to get out of the car in the chaos and then I saw Mae talking to someone in the SUV…I thought I'd make myself useful." He said with a small shrug and half smile. He made it sound like he had just set the table. I could see the tension and relief radiating from Carlisle as he saw that Edward and Jasper were okay. "Carlisle…" he said suddenly serious. " Felix said that Theirson was being helped by a fat little spook."

"Put the gun down!" Jake bellowed.

Carlisle and I spun round to see Thierson holding Jake's gun to his temple. Someone had made the mistake of cuffing Theirson with his hands in the front. This meant that he had been able to grab the weapon from Jake's holster.

"Mr Cullen…make sure you tell that traitorous bastard Viv that Felix and I will be waiting to greet him in hell…God save the Queen…"

I heard rather than saw the shot as Carlisle had pulled me into his arms and held my face against his chest.

**AN; I know…Jasper got shot! Please don't shout too loudly…I promise that is all the drama for AXJ. I hope you can find something in there to like. Wanted to show how big operations like this and, the emotions they cause to resurface, effect the people around CXE. Some may think Edward getting involved was a bit much, but please indulge me a little further, I always loved the part in Twilight when E rescues B in Port Angeles. Theirson died because he felt like he lost everything…not least Felix. The fat man aka Viv aka Julian isn't that brave as we see next chap. Hope you don't mind the little bit of Emmett's background, just wanted to show how the case had got under everybody's skin.**

**Enjoy- Scribex**

**Oh yes, if you feel so inclined, I believe voting is still open for the Bring me to life awards. **

**www(dot)bringmetolifeawards(dot)weebly(dot)com.**


	13. Chapter 13

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; Apologies for not replying to your wonderful reviews for the last couple of chapters. Real life is being difficult and I guessed that you would rather me spend what time I do have updating. So I would like to take this chance to say that your continued support for this story and me is amazing and I'm so very grateful. Please keep it up. Just to clarify one point from the last chapter, Jake didn't get shot, he got a face full of gas, but was attempting to help Carlisle anyway. He was about to stumble into the line of fire of one of the gunmen so Carlisle pulled him down behind a table. Hope that clears that up for those who were a bit confused. M rating in this chapter for violence, language and dark images. **

**CARLISLE POV**

The deafening silence which followed the shot ringing out was quickly shattered by the sound of frantic birds and wildlife of the forest, several people heaving into bushes and a cell phone ringing. Mae flinched in my arms, a soft whimper escaping her as she fisted my shirt. I tightened my arms around her and buried my face in her hair for a moment, taking a deep breath of her shampoo and scent, which despite being mixed with sweat, the smell of the forest and the death that hung heavily in the air, still managed to comfort me. But which could not overcome my annoyance at the continued, irritating ring of the cell phone.

"Whose damn phone is that?" I yelled causing Mae to step back out of my embrace as she realized where we were.

"It's…one of Zulu5's…"Emily said quietly.

"Pass it to me…" I said quickly, handing her my handkerchief to pick it up with. Emily gingerly picked up the now silent phone and handed it to me. Everyone had paused in what they were doing. What the hell was I supposed to say? Sorry…I didn't even know his name, can't come to the phone, a pissed off villain put two bullets through his chest for being a traitorous bastard who was about to kill his boyfriend?

The display read NUMBER WITHHELD.

Carefully as I could, I found the cell's number in the contact list and called into our communications team in London to get me the last number that had called and the caller's location. We had the technology to get round the withholding of certain numbers.

Shit. That had to be Viv calling to check what the hell was happening. Unless he'd suddenly become incredibly stupid, he would have used a pre-paid, disposable cell phone, which were almost impossible to trace to make the call or…a public payphone in the village down the road.

"You're sure…" I barked at the young officer in our communications centre back in London. Snapping my phone shut after he assured me he was, I turned to Leah.

"I hate to leave you with all this shit Acting, Inspector Clearwater and Acting Detective Sergeant Black, but I need Agent Marshall with me…you need eyes and ears in the back of your head where our spooky friends are concerned. Leah and Jake are acting with my authority." I called once more loudly for anyone who accidently on purpose not heard me.

"Sir…" Leah and Jake stammered in unison, more concerned by the fact that they had both just been temporarily promoted. They were both ready for the promotion, but I would have to have a think about whether I could make them permanent with the SCI, as Jasper wouldn't be out injured for that long.

"Where are we heading?" Mae asked as we climbed back up the bank to where the car was waiting.

"We are going to carry out Thierson's last wish and inform Viv that Felix and he will be waiting for him." I said bitterly, as I caught out of the corner of my eye, a sheet being laid over Theirson. Mae stopped.

"Leah…"

Her head snapped round from where she was talking to a uniformed officer.

"When the wagon comes to collect the bodies…make sure Theirson and Felix are put in the same one…" she said.

Leah looked confused but agreed. Mae said nothing until we were in the car.

" If he was alive, I would have kicked Felix's ass from one side of this forest to the other for what he did to Alice, Edward and Jasper, but…he was willing to do whatever it took took…including risk his own life, to protect the man he loved…and what he did meant that Edward could get to the Prince and I could handle Dean…" she said almost pleading for me to understand and I did sort of.

I would be asked several times over the next few days, why didn't I stop Theirson when I saw that he was about to pull the trigger? And whilst they would be satisfied with my response stating that the light in the forest clearing was too poor and my eye sight was still blurred from the tear gas, I knew that that wasn't really the case. I could have easily fired a disabling shot at Theirson to make him drop Jake's gun but what would that have done? Given the powers that be time to put the poor screwed up bastard through a lengthy show trial, before condemning him to a few years of being regularly attacked and beaten before a 'patriotic' prisoner went too far one day and beat him to death. What he did was treason, but I knew that if he hadn't have had a fat little fairy god father dripping poison in his ear, fuelling his delusional ideas, Theirson would never have got as far as he had. He had tried playing with the big boys before and quickly realized he didn't have the stomach for it, no watching the crazy plan and the man that obviously gave his life purpose die in front of him was punishment enough for Christian Theirson.

Members of the team would wonder, why I had pulled Mae to me and stopped her seeing Theirson's head exploding. The simple and despite what they thought, true answer was, I would have attempted to shield anyone I cared about from that sight. Christ, Edward had left the army in an attempt to erase the horrors he'd seen but here he was dragged into yet another one. But, if I was truly honest with myself, it was the perfect way for me to hold Mae and reassure myself, that she was truly safe. And Mae would admit later that she had been desperate for a chance to receive the same reassurances.

"You know who he is?" Mae demanded, pulling me out of my reverie.

"So do you…it's Julian…" I replied grimly.

"You are fucking kidding me…"

"I wish I was…" I sighed, rubbing my hand over my face. Mae cast an anxious glance at me her eyes fixed on my sore red ones. I reached over the consul and squeezed her hand. "Their fine, just sore and a little blurry, medic said not to drive for twenty four hours." I said softly.

"You're sure?"she asked in a noisy exhale. I knew the question had more than one meaning but I decided to try and refocus as both. I removed my hand and tried to sit straighter in my seat.

"One night when he was very drunk, he told me that his real name is Vivian Cavendish. His mother wanted a girl, she was a huge fan of Vivien Leigh…he thinks that's what made him…"

"Want to make you his Rhett Butler…" Mae teased with a devilish twinkle in her eyes. Someone once said that there is a fine line between sex and death, witnessing death makes you want to have sex to prove to yourself that you are still alive and able to feel. And for a long moment, there was part of me that was desperate to tell her about Julian's shameless flirting last night and see the laughter in her eyes, become that jealous and possessive glint that caused my heart to misbehave in my chest, my cock misbehave in my pants and Mae feel the need to remind me roughly that I was hers and hers alone. It had only happened once, but Christ… I shook my head in an attempt to try and focus on what a traitorous bastard Julian was.

"The two MI5 men Jasper and I overheard, said something about the comms and they were obviously involved in the plan somehow…then there's the remark about his weight…" Mae said briskly, her tone all business, the earlier drama pushed to the back of her mind for now. I could see her eyes shining as she processed the information and began to try and lay the foundations of our case against him. Her intensity, insight and enthusiasm fed into my own, helping my still slightly confused and foggy brain begin working again. We were both running on adrenaline and instinct and when we crashed it would be brutal, but I knew Mae would want to push this extra clarity and energy we had as far as we could whilst we had it. We were both hopeless addicts for the unique buzz that came with hunting down a criminal.

"And the alarm engineer identified Julian as the one who told him to leave the pressure pads in the lawn and around the back door unconnected." I added with a growl. The engineer I had used when I replaced all the previous security staff had been one of the bases engineers, a young but already seasoned war zone veteran with an impeccable record. When the smoke had cleared literally, and Jake and I had been seen by the army medics rushed to the scene we had literally pounced on the lad, both desperate to know why the fuck the alarms hadn't gone off and given us more warning about the double strike we faced. Julian had had the nerve to look worried and quiz me about the validity of his security clearance! And his little charade of trying to get me away from the base, out of the dining room. Julian's feelings for me were real I knew, but I also knew now that he had only been as forward as he had been because he knew that it would cause the others in the team react the way they had.

"It's not enough though…it's all circumstantial…" Mae huffed in annoyance bringing me out of my reverie.

"Mmm…" I reached for my phone and quickly dialed both Julian's cell number and then that of the guest house he was staying at. The uneasy tense feeling that had gripped me from the moment I had heard the engineer and then Theirson's words, forced my stomach into a painful knot as the receptionist at the guest house confirmed that Julian Cavendish had checked out twenty minutes ago.

"But add it to the fact that Julian never showed at the base for the lunch, he's not been in contact with anyone to find out what the hell is happening and…he checked out of the guest house half an hour ago…and it gives us more than enough cause to ask him a few questions." I said lightly, unable to stop the smirk of savage pleasure I felt twitching my lips as I thought of the fun Mae and I would have questioning Julian.

Mae gave a deep sigh at that moment before, running her tounge along her deliciously full lower lip. It had to be my blurry, sore eyes, she only did that when she was…

"Fuck…I love it when you talk dirty." She chuckled softly, not taking her eyes from the London road we had just joined. She saw my look of confusion in the drivers mirror and a delicious blush of colour began creeping up her neck.

"When you're near to catching a perp, you start talking…your voice goes all deep and gravely and your eyes…" she babbled in a quiet, embarrassed rush that I almost didn't hear. Her blush deepened and I was consumed once more by the need to prove the saying about the fine line between sex and death right.

"I look forward to hearing what my eyes do, later, during our very thorough de…brief…" I growled, deliberately drawing out the last word. Mae rolled her eyes slightly at my words, but when our eyes met in the mirror again, I saw the flash of desire there. It was the wrong time, inappropriate, but I loved the seeing, hearing her admit something like that. I knew we would have emotions to work through working together now we were married, but I hadn't expected lust to be one of them.

"Julian…what are you thinking? " Mae stammered.

And with that, Mae had once again proved herself the more professional, killing the mood and focusing us on the job in hand.

"He's going to be worried, scared...he doesn't know exactly what's happened, what might have been said…he'll be running he'll want to get away from me…" I growled. "from whoever he's working with or for, who will no doubt, not be happy. Julian happily takes the credit and praise for ideas, that usually aren't his own, but when things go wrong…you won't see him for dust or if you do, he'll be squealing like a pig to try and save his own neck…he'll have some getaway planned."

"But surely he knows that we'll be watching all the ports, stations…"

"Oh he does, that's why he'll lay low for a day, maybe a couple of days… he'll have a safe house…"

"Which could be anywhere and, he could have more than one." Mae said knowledgably. My heart clenched painfully for a moment as I thought of Mae doing something similar when she was running from me. Did she still have a safe house? My thoughts must have shown on my face. Mae's green eyes were bright and fiercely intense as they met mine in the mirror.

"Agent Marshall does have access to safe houses if she needs them yes, but the _one,_ private flat she rented as a safe house, she quickly got rid of. She spent one night there seven years ago and she had never felt more alone, more vulnerable and more frightened in her entire life. She learnt the hard way, what Mrs. Cullen knows and takes comfort and strength from everyday…"

"What's that?" I whispered my eyes stinging with unshed tears as my beautiful brave girl laid herself, open for me for us.

"That it doesn't matter where she is, what fear she's facing…if she has Mr Cullen, Mr Cullen's arms around her…she'll be safe, protected, loved." Mae whispered softly, her eyes telling me more than any more words could.

"Julian…" it was my turn to stammer the word that could make us focus on the present and not the myriad of emotions that this case seemed to have unleashed in us. Mae made a brief phone call to Marcus on the hands free, informing him of what had happened and our suspicions over Julian. Within fifteen minutes, the Director of MI5 himself was on the phone apologizing profusely and spewing forth a list of Julian's registered safe houses and a few others places he could think of. But for some reason I kept hearing a drunken Julian's voice in my ear.

"_If you can't trust your mother to keep your secrets safe…who can you trust?"_

"What?" Mae asked when she saw my face.

"Something's niggling at me…" I huffed.

"I'm listening." She replied.

And just like that, the earlier emotions both the playful lust and the intense and raw were gone, to be replaced with the focused, serious, professional Mae. Maybe, just maybe…we could really make this work.

**JULIAN POV**

"We…we knew that things could go wrong, that there was a possibility that Cullen…" I stammered.

"You had more than enough resources and money at your disposal to ensure that nothing went wrong…you also had the perfect opportunity to ensure that Cullen would not get the chance to interfere…" came the cold, hard response on the other end of the line. I felt my stomach begin to clench painfully as it became clear what was coming. "but you blew them all, in quite spectacular fashion…" the voice was dripping with malicious sarcasm.

"It wasn't me…Theirson he…he hired Mitchell and Talbot and they…" even I could hear the pathetic whine in my voice, but my mounting panic meant that I was passed caring.

"Damn it man! You may have lost everything else, but the least you can do is try, and hold onto the shreds of self respect you have left." Came the snarl. I was fighting for my life, self respect was a luxury that I was more than willing to sacrifice I thought bitterly.

"I need to get away…"

"It would probably be for the best…" he said dismissively.

"I…I need a passport…money…" I had to hold the phone away from my ear for a moment such was the volume of the laughter that exploded down the line.

"You're not serious…this was a black op you fool, entirely privately funded…funds which you, your mistakes have totally exhausted…" he snapped.

"If you want me to keep my mouth shut, you'll find the money…" I growled in a voice, with an attitude that wasn't mine.

"Vivian, Vivian, Vivian, it seems consorting with the rougher elements of the criminal spectrum, has caused you to develop a really rather amusing opinion of yourself…do you stand practicing in the mirror?" he asked, his tone genuinely amused but viciously taunting. "And, if you were to talk? Who exactly would you talk to? Who would believe you?"

"Carlisle Cullen…"

The laughter was back.

"Cullen? After what those idiots you hired have done? To him, his brother, his good lady wife…his team, I do hope for your sake that none of his team were badly hurt during this afternoon's debacle…you used him, you lied to him…you'd be lucky if he let you open your mouth before he ripped you apart…"

"Maybe, but he wouldn't be able to dismiss what he heard with his own ears…" He was right, mixing with Theirson, Felix and Dean had taught me, or rather reminded me, of a few survival tricks that, years behind a desk had caused me to forget. I heard a sudden, sharp intake of breath.

"It's amazing the applications they have on cell phones these days…professional quality sound recording equipment."

Dean had called me sneaky. I preferred to think of myself as a fully paid up member of the self preservation society,

"You could be bluffing".

"Yes, I could…but do you really want to take that risk?" The tapes didn't actually contain anything that could be used as solid evidence, but I was certain that it would be enough to cause some serious and damaging waves to ripple through Whitehall, especially if Carlisle got to hear of them, which he just might I thought.

"If you can get to London before Cullen finds you, there will be a Euro Star ticket and a passport waiting at St Pancras Station…the tapes…"

"Will arrive on your desk, an hour after I receive confirmation that a large windfall has unexpectedly arrived in my bank account." I said ending the call, not able to trust my voice from trembling with relief and disbelief at the thought that I may just get away with this.

Pulling out of the motorway services, where I had been forced to stop as the shock at how things had turned out, caused my anxiety ridden stomach to rebel against me, I joined the flow of traffic heading back to London, wincing only slightly as police cars screamed past me in the opposite direction. As he had said, I had to get to London before Carlisle found me. Glancing at the clock on the dashboard, I saw that it had been just over ninety minutes since the snatch attempt. If things had gone to plan, Theirson, the Prince and Dean's team should have been dead, Dean should have been in my position half way to a new life far away and I, should have been with Carlisle, apologizing profusely for my absence that I would blame on trying to find the cause of the problems with the communication system whilst reassuring him, that there was nothing else he could have done to prevent the tragedy that had occurred. But as the saying goes 'the best laid plans'.

From the time I had jammed the communication system, Dean's men had fifteen minutes to make the snatch, reach the rendezvous, where Dean would dispose of them, Theirson and the Prince, before giving the men of Zulu five convincing, but superficial wounds and departing.

I had, at the last minute, allowed them an extra ten minutes, knowing that Cullen and his team, despite what we had thrown at them, could not be underestimated. But when those ten minutes had started to become fifteen and then nearly twenty, I knew something had gone very wrong.

As much as Dean hated having to get rid of the men that he considered to be brothers, I knew that his concern for his real, biological brother's continued care would overcome any doubts he may have. I also knew that he would have made a point of taking Theirson out with him before he died. And I knew that Dean would be dead, because like the good soldier he had been, Dean would have rather put a bullet in his head than be taken by the enemy. It had to be the Zulu5 team. They were well trained with a strong belief in what it was we were trying to do, but hindsight, and my unanswered call to their cell phone was now making it painfully clear, that what I had taken as confidence was actually arrogance and they had been bested by Cullen's team. And even if they hadn't been killed, I knew it wouldn't be long before they let slip a detail that would allow Carlisle to link the clues he already had, but had not yet realized, back to me.

And whilst I sincerely hoped that neither Carlisle or any of his team had been seriously injured, I had seen firsthand how relentless and ruthless Carlisle could be when he was hunting down a criminal. It really was as if he gave himself over to his inner, animalistic beast…I shuddered and shamefully, not only with fear.

Think Julian! Think. There was no way I could pass for a tourist on a day trip, I needed luggage, some money to tide me over until I received my pay off and I also needed a weapon. My revelation about having taped our various conversations planning today had him rattled, but I wouldn't put it past him to try and arrange for a little accident or brutal mugging to befall me when I arrived in Europe. Luckily I had all three things in the small flat I kept near the Royal Albert Hall. It had been my late mothers and was still in her name. All MI5 officers were encouraged to have a safe house to run to just in case of emergencies, my natural cowardice and the natural paranoia that developed after too many years in this job meant that I had more than one. But I had never declared the existence of my mother's flat to anyone…

Whilst sober at least.

The front door lock had not been forced and nothing had been touched but…

"Hello Julian…" Carlisle said quietly from the large wing backed chair in infront of the window in the small lounge.

He was perfectly still, his pale face impassive, but I could feel the tension, the menace, the barely controlled desire to spring, rolling off him and charging the air around us. I turned, ready to run, only to find myself face to face with Mae Marshall, who had stepped out of the bedroom and was blocking the doorway and my only means of escape with her body and a gun which I knew she would have no hesitation in using.

"So, I'm going to be treated to the full Cullen and Mae experience…I'm not sure whether to be flattered or terrified." I admitted, my voice sounding strained and slightly hysterical to even my own ears.

"Congratulations on the wedding by the way…" if they were surprised by my knowledge of, what I knew they had gone out of their way to keep secret, they didn't show it. In fact, they didn't do, or say anything…they just waited, and watched. "I don't suppose I'll be able to attend the blessing…I always did like winter weddings…I'm sure you'll be a stunning bride my dear…" still nothing. I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to do it, but I had to try and distract them.

"I'm surprised and quite frankly more than a little impressed that you remembered your visit here Carlisle…considering the state you were in…the state we were both in…nothing improper occurred I assure you my dear…" I said to Marshall. "but during your seven year absence…well Carlisle became a bit of a social butterfly and well…we saw the last night of the Proms that year, in a bit of a champagne haze…and my sofa was closest wasn't it Carlisle…" I babbled brightly. Carlisle's jaw tensed slightly at my words, whilst her eyes narrowed, there was no other reaction.

Jesus it was true what people said about them, they really were as cold as ice when they were working.

"Why?" Carlisle asked finally, his blue eyes flickering dangerously as he glared at me.

"Why did we drink that last bottle of champagne during Jerusalem? I think it was to try and drown out the braying the woman behind us passed off as singing…alright, alright…do you mind if I have a drink? It's been a tough day…"

Carlisle nodded. I moved over to the side table where I kept Scotch, Gin, tonic and a knife to cut lemons for gin and tonics, which was conveniently enough, just the right size to slip up my sleeve.

"Join me?" I called, turning and holding up the Scotch bottle. They both shook their heads.

"So…where to begin…but before I do, just out of curiousity, what, or who, was it that made you realize?" I asked, genuinely interested. I wasn't stupid enough to try and plead innocence, no I had to give them something, distract them enough to try and make my escape.

"Felix Cosgrove." Marshall replied.

"Really?" I said, genuinely shocked. I had known that there was something between Theirson and Cosgrove, but I had never imagined it ran that deep, or that Cosgrove inparticular, would ever act on any feelings he had if that nature.

"So, the love that dare not speak its name was expressed in truly operatic terms…I'm almost sorry I missed it…" I chuckled humourlessly. It was as I perched on the edge of the small sofa opposite Carlisle that I saw how red and sore his eyes looked.

"You…you and your team, nobody was seriously injured?"

"Jasper took a bullet in the shoulder." Carlisle said tightly. I heard an angry hiss from Marshall in the doorway.

"I am…truly sorry for that…" I said, hoping they could both hear the sincerity of my words.

"And I'm sure you're totally devastated that the two guys in Zulu 5, plus your little toy soldiers are all dead." Marshall snarled as she moved from her position by the door and came to lean over the back of the sofa I was sitting on, her lips close to my ear. I turned my head and saw almost venomous hatred blazing in her eyes, which seemed to grow even more intense as I stammered and was unable to conceal the relief I felt at hearing the news.

"I love this country…" I said lamely, turning to look at Carlisle once more.

"Oh don't worry, I think you made it perfectly clear to Prince William, the Queen, the Government exactly how loyal and patriotic subject you are." Carlisle snarled leaning forward, bringing his face close to my own. I was like some sort of helpless prey caught in the blinding glare of hatred in his eyes. So why had I suddenly become so embarrassingly and obviously aroused by not only his intense gaze, but also the close proximity of his body to my own. I had forgotten Marshall was still leaning on the back of the sofa until, I felt her hand grip my shoulder in a vice like grip and slam me back against the back of the sofa.

"I'm glad you like em to treat you rough and mean Viv, coz you're going to meet plenty like that where you're going…but unfortunately for you, I really doubt they'll be as in to what else Carlisle does…soo well, tender, soft, so loving it takes your breath away…makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside…" Marshall hissed in my ear. "Then again, maybe you might get lucky, I mean…you'll certainly have enough time to meet people…"

"It wasn't only me…there were others involved…I have tapes…" I babbled in a terrified rush as Marshall's words cleared my haze and made me realize just how much trouble I was in.

They were both sniggering at me.

"I hate to say I told you so…" Carlisle remarked dryly. "Where are they?" he demanded coldly as his head snapped from her to me.

I went to stand, but Carlisle's glare pushed me back into my seat. I nodded towards the bookcase.

"Inside the Ballad of Reading Gaol…" I mumbled.

"It would be funny if it wasn't so damn tragic…" Mae sighed in disbelief.

"I was thinking more pathetic myself…but I bet it didn't take much verbal dexterity or charm to get inside Christian Theirson's already screwed up head, feed his fantasies."

"I tell you everything…just not here…I've severely inconvenienced some very heavy people…Carlisle please…this doesn't end with me…this goes deeper, higher…"

He was silent for a long moment as he observed me through narrowed eyes.

"You don't believe me?"

"I totally believe that you don't have the guts to carry out something like this by yourself, I totally believe that you had no compunction in using Mitchell, Talbot, Theirson, your little army…me…" he growled lowly. "But what I do or don't believe is neither here or there anymore. It's out of my hands…MI8, the investigation squad are in charge of the whole thing now…Mae and I are to deliver you into their charge…"

"And where is the justice in that for you? The Carlisle Cullen I know…he would want to see the case through to the end…make sure things weren't swept under the carpet, that all the wrong doer's all the ones who had used him were punished…"

"Julian, whatever is on these tapes, whatever the investigation reveals about the others involved in your little plot…you are the only wrong doer that I'm concerned with. Theirson, Felix, your little army…they're all dead and I'm afraid I have transferred all the hatred and anger I have for them, onto you…I have no doubt that the fellow traitors your working for, or others like them may well try something like this, or worse again…and if they do, me and my team will be there to stop them, and we'll be a little older and a lot wiser thanks to you. But the Carlisle Cullen you knew, the man who would torture himself over the Machiavellian plots being hatched along the corridors of power, who would blame himself for the downfall of society and everything wrong with it…who thought that he was only doing his job properly if he let it totally consume him, if he let himself feel every ounce of the victim's pain, if he fought every single beureaucratic battle is gone. I have reason to pick my battles more carefully now…and fighting for you…"

"Like I fought for you and Edward, when all that nasty business with your mother blew up." I shot back.

Carlisle was now looming over me.

"You were covering your backside…you still needed to use me…and this…Mae and I picking you up nicely, civily is me showing my gratitude."

**ESME POV**

It all happened so quickly, I didn't even register that Julian had cut me until Carlisle was leaning over me demanding to know if I was okay. We had left Julian's flat with Carlisle leading the way down the stairs and me bringing up the rear. Julian, who had been perspiring and breathing heavily the more anxious he became, had stopped on the stairs to mop his face and clean his glasses, saying that he couldn't go any further till he could see properly. I had taken a step down to try and hurry him up, giving him the perfect chance to move with surprising speed for a man his size and grab me in a crushing grip round the waist, the long, thin and very sharp blade he'd pulled from his sleeve held to my throat.

"If you won't help me Carlisle, I'll have to help myself…I will not take the fall for all of this, I won't…I can't…" he whimpered, pleading for understanding. Carlisle had tried to talk to him, but Julian was a desperate, scared man who wasn't stupid. I had seen panic in Carlisle's eyes, but I had also seen him trying to find a spot to land a disabling shot on Julian. There wasn't a clear one thanks to the way he had positioned my body against his.

"Carlisle…let him pass…" I had ground out with what little air remained in my body. It had taken everything I had not to cry out at the pain caused by his crushing grip. The adrenaline that had been keeping me going since the firefight in the forest was now starting to wane, making my body heavy and tired, but I saw a slim chance of escape in the narrow stairwell. It would take every ounce of strength I had left and may take us both down, but if I could get to the small landing between staircases, I knew I could try and take him.

"Carlisle." I had repeated firmly hoping he could see my silent plea in my eyes. He had, pressing himself back against the wall and allowing Julian to move past him.

Julian had chuckled darkly.

"Well it's quite clear who wears the trousers in this…"

Julian hadn't got the chance to finish, for as soon as we had reached the landing I had kicked my legs straight out in front of me so that my feet the wall. Bending my knees I had pushed back with all my might, bringing my elbows back into Julian's chest at the same time. Julian was flabby but strong, he was winded but he still managed to hold onto my arm as we landed. It turned into a bit of a wrestling match as we landed. I had felt a flash of pain and a warm trickling sensation, but didn't register Julian had slashed me across the collar bone until after Carlisle had pulled him off of me and let loose a string of expletives as they began to fight. I was more concerned with the difficulty I was having in breathing thanks to Julian's bulk landing on me awkwardly. In the end, Carlisle had whipped Julian across the side of the head with enough force to send him sprawling backwards down the next, thankfully short flight of stairs.

His bulk saved him from any more of a serious injury than a bad concussion and bruised ribs. I had received two broken ribs, severe bruising and eight stitches along the part of my collar bone.

"Why the hell did you take your Kevlar vest off?" Carlisle had demanded, his hands running through his hair. His eyes wild with fear and anger. We had stopped briefly on the way to London and I had removed the hot, uncomfortable vest.

"It wouldn't have stopped him slashing me…" I had replied stiffly, trying to keep my temper and not aggravate my burning ribs and aching body.

"It could have protected your ribs…you knew we were going into a potentially dangerous situation…"

"How the hell was I supposed to know that Julian of all people would start channeling his inner Jack Bauer and grow a pair of balls?" I had demanded, glaring at Carlisle and trying not to give him the satisfaction of seeing me wince in pain.

Carlisle stopped pacing round the small cubicle at the foot of the gurney.

"It is standard operating procedure Agent Marshall to remain fully protected until all possible threats have been dealt with. If you're going to be a part of the SCI team, you will abide by the rules. You want me to treat you like a part of the team? Believe me I would be saying exactly the same to anyone else on the team that did what you did." He had said gruffly. And I believed him.

We had bickered some more over me wanting to join the others back in the office to get my report written whilst it was still fresh in my mind. But the bickering and banter that had passed between us had been for the most part what would have occurred between Carlisle and any other member of the team in this situation. But as we gave in to our exhaustion both mental and physical, the need to be Mr and Mrs Cullen and hold, reassure and just be together after a truly horrific day was becoming almost painful for us both. I could see Carlisle sat behind his desk, the knuckles of the hand holding the phone that hadn't left his ear since the moment we had returned to the office, turning white as he tried not to let his temper explode. His eyes were fixed on me as I attempted to focus on the screen and words in front of me, rather than the searing pain in my ribs and along my collar bone.

"Oww!" Jake's loud whine had me rising from my desk and hobbling towards the small kitchenette on the far side of the SCI unit. I finally made it and stood back as I saw Jake sitting in one of the chairs, head tilted back as Leah applied eye drops.

"Oh stop being such a baby…" Leah chastised gently.

"They still really hurt." Jake whined.

"I know baby…I'm sorry…but you heard the doctor…you have to have these drops four times a day, you were almost on top of that damn smoke bomb…it could have been…you could have been" Leah trailed off her voice rough with emotion as she gently caressed his face.

"Yeah, but I wasn't…"Jake replied, placing his hand over hers before kissing her palm.

"And there I was hoping that someone was taking pity on their poor boss and making him a cup of tea…" Carlisle chuckled, causing Leah to spring away from Jake, and Jake to almost topple back in his chair.

"I'm…I'm sorry sir…it's just we are technically off duty and he needs…" Leah babbled blushing.

"He needs looking after…as does Agent Marshall…who I am taking home, because as you so rightly said Leah, we are off duty. We've done more than our fair share of protecting the city and the monarchy from harm for one day. Now it's our time…to go home and be…Mr and Mrs Cullen." Carlisle whispered in my ear as he pulled me gently against his side. I almost whimpered with relief and the need to feel his arms around me.

**AN; I know, Mae got hurt, but not too badly and her injuries do have a purpose for later chapters. There is method in my madness believe it or not. There will be a bit more fall out to this incident, but the next couple of chapters will mostly be fluff and a bit of build up to the wedding, including a meeting between Mae and Carlisle's ex Angie. **

**The proms that Julian mentions are a series of music concerts, mainly classical held at the Royal Albert Hall in London every year. The last night is usually the most fun and the most drunken. "Normal" people do attend the proms, but it is still largely regarded as an upperclass event, mainly because they're the only ones that can afford decent ! Most people wait and watch the last night at home on TV! Jerusalem is a rousing hymn that a lot of people think should be England's national anthem because more people know the words and it's more inspirational than God Save the Queen. **

**The Ballad of Reading Gaol, as I understand it was written by Oscar Wilde and details his time in said jail, when he was jailed for being gay and offending public decency. **

**Please hit the button. **


	14. Chapter 14

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; So, this chap is hopefully full of fluffy moments for all our couples. I know, it's a CXE story, but they have all had a hell of a day. I thought I'd show them all a little love. Thought it would be more realistic, to see them have some thoughts about what happened. Hope you don't mind indulging me. Meeting with Angie next chap. I'm now on twitter, I'm ci5girl there, there was another Scribe4hire! Come say hi, I'll be rambling as I usually do, about writing and life in general. Will give update news, answer questions, discuss how hot Peter F is looking! Rob too…really didn't want to become Robsessed…damn. Wolves are welcome too!LOL! **

**ESME POV**

Carlisle had barely had chance to close the front door behind us before I pushed him back against it, wrapping one arm round his waist and burying my head in his neck. I was whimpering softly but I didn't care and neither did he, as he made a very similar sound as he wrapped his arms round me and laid his cheek against my hair. There is only so long even the most professional of people can maintain their composure, especially after a day we had just lived through, and Carlisle and I had reached our limit. I found my breathing falling into the slow steady rhythm of his heart.

"You're safe…" he mumbled finally, in a tone that was a strange mix of matter of fact and relief.

"I am now." I replied weakly. Carlisle whimpered softly, before exhaling in a noisy, ragged rush which seemed to take the tension in his body with it. I pulled away from his chest a little, so I could look up into his face. He was exhausted, it looked like he had two black eyes, so dark and deep were the dark circles against his pale skin. I knew I couldn't have looked any better.

"We're off duty; at home…please say I can kiss you now." I almost pleaded.

"Oh god yes…please…" he replied.

"That damn please…gets me every time…" I chuckled softly as I reached up and pressed my lips softly against his, unable to help the soft moan that escaped me as I did so. He tasted of coffee, cigarettes and Carlisle and I couldn't get enough. My hands slipped up around his neck, my fingers gently rubbing at the nape of his neck.

"I love you…" he moaned round the edge of our kiss, his lips becoming a little more insistent as his hand twisted in my hair and he tilted my head to deepen the kiss. I chuckled softly as he barely gave me chance to open my mouth, before his tounge began exploring and reclaiming my mouth, my tounge, my taste. It had been nearly thirty six hours since I had been able to really hold him, feel him, but so much had happened to us both in those thirty six hours it felt so much longer. And my response to him was just as urgent and desperate.

My next moan however, was of pain rather than pleasure. My ribs meant that I couldn't breathe as deeply as I needed to continue the kiss, especially when Carlisle tightened his arms round me a little too much. I stepped back a little.

"God, I'm sorry love…" he said, a look of horror on his face, his hands falling to his sides.

"Carlisle…please never apologize for kissing me like that…sometimes one of your knee tremblers, tells me better…" I breathed.

"My what?" he asked chuckling in amusement.

"You can, on occasion…kiss me with such passion, such intensity…it takes my breath away, and makes my knees tremble…" I whispered dropping my head as I felt a hot blush begin creeping up my neck.

"Really?" he asked.

I looked up to see, as I had hoped, his upset at hurting me replaced by a smug smirk.

"Yes…but that doesn't mean you can rest on your laurels mister…I did, if you remember, say that these kisses happened on occasion…" I teased, kissing the end of his chin. Being kissed by Carlisle was always amazing, but there were times when it was truly mind blowing.

"As soon as you're feeling better…we will be working on that…a lot…" he growled, kissing my nose sweetly his hands coming back to rest lightly on my hips. But no amount of light hearted teasing, could stop the horrors of the day from forcing there way back into our minds.

" That bastard Julian…when I saw that knife…Christ Mae…I felt so damn helpless…" he moaned, his head falling back and hitting the door.

"There was nothing you could have done…maybe I should have waited till we got outside, given you the chance at a shot…but I didn't want to risk a passerby, or myself…" I said, the last word coming out in a growl as I hung my head in recognition of the fact, that he had been right to tell me off for taking off my vest. I waited for him to say something, most notably 'I told you so', but he didn't. I looked up.

"What? I've reprimanded you for that…it's done, over. I don't keep on throwing someone's mistakes back at them unless…they refuse to learn from them…" he said with a slight smirk.

"What you said to Julian…about not letting work consume you…" I said quietly. We had talked about this a little, but I was worried that what had happened to me, and the revelation that we had been working against people who were supposed to be on our side, might make him change that decision.

"I still mean it, despite everything that's happened… I'm really going to try love, although there is a part of me that really wants to say fuck the lot of them, pack up and take you on a really long honeymoon, somewhere very remote, and very hot… Leave the two faced bastards to destroy each other with all their scheming. But I can't…there are good people out there, who need my help…our help…"he said his eyes blazing with his passion.

"You truly are a wonderful and very noble man DCS Cullen…" I said sincerely, cupping his face in my hands. "But I know the real reason you wouldn't do that is because, you're too scared of the cruel and unusual methods of torture that a certain tiny, scary, hormonal wedding planner would subject us to if we messed up her plans and disappeared indefinitely." I said in mock seriousness. I had asked the question, forgetting just how easily Carlisle could be consumed and start to brood, we were both too damn tired physically and emotionally to do that now. My distraction seemed to work, as Carlisle was chuckling as he tipped his forehead against mine.

"It's terrible to say, but Julian is sort of lucky that MI8 have whisked him off, to where ever they've taken him. Because, I think if Alice got the chance to see him and vent all her feelings about what happened to us all… to Jasper…who is fine…" he said in answer to my questioning gaze. I knew he had called Alice and Jasper earlier at the office, but I hadn't had the energy to ask him what she had said. "Apart from being seriously pissed off about being kept in hospital overnight…pregnant or not…it would be bloody…" he chuckled softly shaking his head. His smile faded however, when he saw the wince of pain that I couldn't control. "Enough shop talk…as you said, we're off duty and at home…and as I said to Leah, you need looking after." he said his voice and his eyes, becoming soft as he gently tucked my hair behind my ears.

"We both do after days like this. Carlisle, I know it won't always work, but I would really like to make a deal that DCS Cullen and Agent Cullen can have a debrief of the day here…" I said stamping my foot on the doormat. "But after that…the rest of our home is where Mr. and Mrs. Cullen live love and take care of each other…no real shop talk." I said holding out my hand for him to shake and seal the deal.

Carlisle smiled. It wouldn't always be possible for us not to bring work home with us, but I could see, that Carlisle loved the idea of coming home and literally leaving the stresses of the day at the door.

"Deal." He said softly taking my hand and raising it to his lips.

We didn't say much as we waited for and then devoured, the take out we had ordered on our way home and which arrived ten minutes after our little debrief had ended. I was sat as comfortably as I could be in Carlisle's arms on the sofa, my back against his chest, my head resting on his shoulder, then he started to move.

"Where are you going?" I pouted gripping hold of his leg.

"To run you a bath…Mae, even with the painkillers…you're going to be damn sore in the morning…this might help a little." He said kissing the top of my head. I knew he was right, but I wasn't ready to be break the comforting and soothing contact of his body yet. As gently as he could, he moved me and stood up.

"Yes Doctor Cullen." I pouted. He growled lowly. "But only if you join me, I might need a little help washing…everywhere…" I hissed as my attempt to laugh, caused sharp jolts of pain to begin coursing through my heavy, exhausted body.

"Don't worry Mrs Cullen…I plan on taking very good care of you…and thoroughly examining, the damage that has been done to my beautiful wife. " Carlisle said softly, leaning back over me on the sofa and resting his hands either side of my head, as he leant in to kiss me tenderly.

When the bath was ready, Carlisle came back into the lounge, swept me gently into his arms and carried me back into the bathroom.

"For a man who had no desire to be a doctor, you have a very smooth bedside manner." I teased.

Carlisle laughed.

"You are the only patient I'd want to take care of love…"

"Good." I growled, lightly scratching down his bare chest.

Carlisle helped me out of my boots, socks and the jeans I had been wearing with a smart blazer.

"They can all go in the bin." I sighed. Carlisle didn't argue. His own jacket and shirt had been balled up and flung in the corner of the bathroom.

"Oh my…" Carlisle hissed as he helped me remove my shirt and bra, getting his first look at the deep black and blue bruises that covered mainly the left side of my body. "Mae…my god…look what he…" Carlisle breathed, his voice pained, his eyes shining with tears as he looked between my body and my face.

"I'd rather not…not tonight…please…" I whispered, shivering from shock more than cold. I tilted his chin up to keep his gaze on my face. I was hurting, exhausted and feeling increasingly emotional. Carlisle stepped forward, lightly brushing my lips and then the dressing which covered my stitches with his own. His fingers ghosted gently over my damaged skin. He quickly stripped off the rest of his clothes, before stepping into the thankfully deep and large tub and helping me join him. We both moaned deeply at the feel of the hot water against our tired and aching muscles, Carlisle's hands, were heartbreakingly gentle as he washed my body down, taking extra care to keep my wound dry. We didn't talk, preferring to let the hot water sooth our bodies and the touch and feel of each other sooth our minds.

It wasn't until we were out of the bath and getting ready for bed, that I saw the deep, painful looking bruises that ran down the right side of Carlisle's body from his rib cage to his hip.

"Oh Carlisle…" I breathed.

He turned from where he was pulling some sleep clothes out of the dresser, dropping his eyes down his body to follow my pained gaze.

"It's nothing…" he began.

"Come here…let me see." I said in a tone that brokered no argument.

I was sitting on end of the bed applying arnica to my bruises. I moved my legs so he could stand between them. I let my hands gently ghost over the tender skin before repeating the path with my lips. He sighed deeply, his hand resting on my head. There was nothing sexual in our movements this was a time for tenderness and caring.

"My poor Carlisle…" I sighed. My heart clenching painfully in my chest, as I was overwhelmed by love and the need to take care of this wonderful man.

"It feels better already…" he joked.

"Do you remember what I said earlier?" I asked as I began applying the cool arnica liquid to his side. "That this, was the place where Mr. and Mrs. Cullen took care of each…other…" I said pointedly.

A noisy breath escaped Carlisle. He gazed down at me and I could see the pain in his eyes and the apology forming on his lips.

'No love…there's no need to apologize, I know it'll always be hard to believe that we're actually here together…but I am here Carlisle…and no matter what the bastards out there throw at me during the day, nothing will ever be as important to me as loving and taking care of you…" I said, my voice cracking a little with emotion at what I was trying to say, and the intense look of love and heartbreakingly, gratitude in Carlisle's eyes as he bent down to claim my mouth in a tender kiss.

"I don't know what the hell I did to deserve you…" he said roughly, his hand cupping my face.

"I was thinking the same thing…" I sighed, leaning my cheek into his hand and covering it with my own. "But I thank god every day, that I found you…twice…and that, you're strong enough, that you make me strong enough, to take whatever comes and that you can still love me…always…" I whispered, not caring as the tears trickled from the corners of my eyes. Carlisle pulled me to my feet gently. He pulled me flush against him. The soft moan that escaped me, was not caused by lust, we were both too damn exhausted and sore, it was the look of fierce, intense love burning in his eyes. This man after everything we had been through loved me, truly, completely…

"Always, Mrs. Cullen…I will love you always…" he whispered, his fingers ghosting over my cheeks, his thumbs wiping away my tears.

"Forever, Mr. Cullen…I will love you, and only you…forever."

**JASPER POV**

I'm not an overly religious man, but as I glanced between my heavily bandaged left shoulder and my beautiful…pregnant…wife, who was tucked beneath my right arm, her head on my chest as she slept. I said a silent thank you; to whoever the hell it was up there that had allowed me to come out of today with a wound that could have been a hell of a lot worse, and more hope and excitement for the future than I had known it was capable to feel.

Today's operation had been fucked up. As if it wasn't bad enough that the sonofabitch had dared threaten the friends that I regarded as family, he had threatened my Alice, my reason for being…the mother of my child. I was unable to stop the shudder which ripped through me, as I allowed my mind to drift to that horrific thought once more.

"…'S alright Jazzy…we're here…" Alice mumbled, not waking from her sleep as she stroked my chest with one hand, whilst pulling my arm further round and up her body with the other, allowing my hand to rest over her stomach.

We're here she had said. We had tried for so long, been through so much pain both physical and emotional, in our quest to have a child and now…by some miracle, a miracle that had been threatened by first Theirson and then Cosgrove…it was happening…I was going to be a father. Alice, my beautiful, hyperactive, demanding, loving, wonderful Alice was going to me a mother…

"Alice…if this…if my job, if you think it's going to be too much for you to cope with, during your pregnancy and after…I'll quit…" I had said in one of the rare moments of clarity, being allowed to me by the strong painkillers I was being given. And I had meant it; I would do anything to keep her and the baby safe and free from the worry that had been traumatizing us both over the last few weeks.

"And that is why I love you so much Jas…but I was wrong, you came back to me…a little beaten up, but you came back to me and the baby. I was scared baby…terrified…but you are incredible at your job, all of you are…I know he was a criminal, out for his own ends, but Cosgrove came to you because he was desperate, scared and he knew he could trust you guys to help him. You guys are a special team and I'm not going to stand in the way of that…" Alice had said, her large eyes shining with unshed tears and fierce emotion. "And I promise that although she might not always show it, this baby will be just as proud of you as I am."

"You are a wonderful, amazing woman…" I had sighed.

"I know…" she had giggled as she had hopped up onto the bed beside me, answering my silent plea to hold her and the baby that apparently was going to be a girl. Emmett, who had stuck to Alice like a second shadow through everything that had happened today, and driven her down to the hospital just outside London were I was being forced to stay, had shook his head when I had revealed Alice's pronouncement and declared that I would have a head of white, not grey hair and be bankrupt by the time I was forty five.

I couldn't wait.

**EDWARD POV**

What a fucking day!

I knew it was going to be tough, it always was when Carlisle and the team were moving in for the kill on a big op, but fucking hell.

Resting my hands on the cool tile of the shower, I let my head drop forward and the hot water cascade over the aching muscles in my back. I had seen some sites in Iraq and Afghanistan, but never anything as intense as what I had seen in that small forest clearing. The water was almost scalding hot, but my body was shaking.

Felix had threatened everyone I loved, everyone who went out of their way to love me just that little bit more in an attempt to make up for the fucked up emotional desert that was my childhood.

It had been adrenaline and a fierce almost animalistic need to protect Alice, Rose, Emmett, Jasper, Mae… and maybe more importantly Carlisle, that had given me the strength to drive that car. Cosgrove had said very little on the journey, his mind obviously pre occupied with thoughts of trying to protect his own loved one, before the head injury that he had obviously suffered could incapacitate him, which I was convinced judging by the slurring of his speech and the tremor in his hands it would have done.

What happened after he jabbed the shot gun in my side and ordered me to drive into the clearing was a bit of a blur. All I could remember were faces. Mae's, there was no fear for herself, just anxiety for the Prince. The leader of the hit team could have spun round at any minute and taken her out, but she had still gone to the SUV and tried to reassure the Prince. And then, when Theirson had been in danger, she had stepped out of her flimsy cover into the sights of Cosgrove, who in his state could have quite easily have killed her as well as the leader and calmly done what she had needed to do to try and save Theirson.

Then came the Prince's face, pale…stunned, and later, full of gratitude. I felt for him. He had been through so much already but this type of trauma was on a truly different scale. I really hoped he would receive the support he needed to overcome it.

Carlisle- his voice had told of his worry for Mae and the team. But as he had stridden down the embankment he had exuded strength, power, stability, control, reassurance. And when he had seen me and overcome his shock at my presence, I had seen just how much he truly loved me, and how terrified he was at the thought that something might have happened to me. We had spoken briefly on the phone, but I was desperate to see him and make sure he was alright, not that I doubted Mae's ability to take care of him. The look that had passed between them, had almost taken my breath away with the complexity and intensity of the emotions it contained. But it had passed as quickly as it had come, and they had quickly focused on the job in hand once more.

All I could remember about Jasper's face was the goofy smile when Carlisle had told him Alice was pregnant. The man was the definition of ecstatic at that moment. Alice's face however managed to push his aside for a moment; she had gone from shock and fear when Cosgrove had burst into my apartment, to sheer unadulterated, terror when I had had to tell her that Jasper had been shot. She hadn't screamed or cried, she had simply stood before me not moving, not even breathing. If your eyes really are the windows to your soul, I had clearly seen in her large brown orbs, the moment her soul had been ripped in half. Even when I had finally managed to get her to focus and listen to me, so I could tell her that Jasper would be okay, the raw relief had been almost too intense to witness.

**BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**

Flinging myself across my bed I snatched up the phone. I had told Alice to call me if there were any problems with either her or Jasper and Carlisle to call if Mae started to suffer unexpected side effects from her injuries. Julian fucking Cavendish, the man who had gone out of his way to help me! The smiling fucking assassin who had almost killed my three members of my family! Sonofabitch, if I could get my hands round his fat fucking neck!

"Hello…"I panted.

"Hi Edward…its Bella…am I disturbing you?" came the beautiful voice I hadn't realized I was so desperate to hear until I heard it.

"No…sorry, I was in the shower…God Bella…it's so good to hear your voice."

Okay we had met exactly four times, apart from the afternoon we had spent at Alice's for Rose's birthday BBQ, Christ was that only two days ago? It felt like a lifetime ago. Bella was probably thinking I was some creepy stalker.

"Um…" she began. I could almost see her chewing on her lip and toying with the lock of hair that always blew in her face. "Rose called and told me you'd had a pretty rough day…me too, I was wondering if you wanted to meet up?" she stammered nervously. Okay I now hated Felix Cosgrove even more. I was so wiped out, I knew I was going to struggle to get up off this bed let alone go out.

"Bella I'd love to I really would…" losing myself in those deep brown pools, whilst listening to that almost musical laugh for a few hours, before I was left alone in the darkness with only my tortured mind for company would be heaven.

"Please Edward I know we haven't known each other that long, but…"

But when we talk it feels like we've known each other for years, you understand the mad ramblings that come out of my messed up head better than anyone I've ever met. I thought. And that please…

"I know what you mean…okay, where and when?"

"Um your place…as quickly as you can, because I think the lady across the hall is getting ready, to either call the police or the newspapers." Bella chuckled softly.

I wrenched the door open to find Bella in the hall loaded down with DVD's ice cream and other movie snacks and Mrs Willis from across the hall shamelessly ogling me.

"Nice distraction technique…I think it'll take her a week to remember her own name, let alone mine…" Bella laughed as she brushed past me into the apartment. Confused, I looked down to see I was only wearing the towel I had grabbed when I had raced out of the shower. Any embarrassment I might feel when I remembered this moment in years to come, would always be quickly replaced by the intense feelings of comfort and safety I would feel for the first time in my life that night, as I fell asleep in Bella's arms.

**ROSE POV**

This wasn't the first time I had faced a gunman, my job was mainly lab based, but I had once had to go out in the field with Mae. We had joined a drug dealer's party on a yacht, our assignment to find and test the new super strength, synthetic cocaine he was attempting to import. I had almost been finished with my test, when the door had been flung open and we had been confronted by a strung out rock star with a gun. Mae had managed to talk him down and we escaped, I hadn't stopped shaking or being physically sick for a week.

I had suffered the same reaction today, but not because I was scared for myself, it was the thought of having something happen to the people who I had, even after so short a time come to regard as not just friends, but family, that had frightened me. And the thought of something happening to the big, loud, irritating, loving, wonderful man I adored, had fucking terrified me. Emmett was everything I had always said I hated in a man, but I couldn't imagine living my life without him. He loved me so completely, so openly, so honestly, if I pissed him off he told me, and we fought, hard and loud. He didn't treat me like I was made of china. He treated me like a woman…his woman, and I loved it.

Emmett had cultivated a happy go lucky image, that really was for the most part, who he was, but as I had found out during the long intense conversation we had at his friend Stephen's grave and later in the pub, he was a man whose emotions ran incredibly deep, especially when it came to people he loved. But, that didn't stop him being incredibly annoying.

"Em…please…I really just want to sleep…" I whined. I was desperate to sleep, but Emmett was insisting that we listen to the radio.

"Five more minutes babe…please."

I huffed as I felt him wrap his strong arms around me and pull me back against his big broad chest.

"And this next song is for Rosie from Emmett…Emmett says, he knows that the last few days haven't been that great and that you didn't have the best of birthdays, but he promises that he'll make it up to you on your trip to Vegas…"

My heart, which had been pounding in my chest as I listened to the DJ's words, felt like it had stopped. Vegas! I had always wanted to go to Vegas!

"Emmett also says, that he's fully intending to lose his shirt in Vegas because, he used up all his luck the day he met you…this is for you Rosie…

**You touch these tired eyes of mine.**

**And map my face line by line**

**And somehow growing old feels fine**

**I listen close for I'm not that smart**

**You wrap your thoughts in works of art**

**And they're hanging on the walls of my heart**

**I may not have the softest touch**

**I may not say the words as such**

**And though I may not look like much**

**I'm yours**

**And though my edges may be rough**

**And never feel I'm quite enough**

**It may not seem like very much**

**But I'm yours**

**You've healed these scars over time**

**Embraced my soul**

**You loved my mind**

**You're the only angel in my life**

**The day the news came that my best friend died**

**My knees went weak and you saw me cry**

**Say I'm still the soldier in your life.**

"Emmett McCarty, you are…" I sobbed as I loosened his arms round my waist and began to turn to face him.

"Fast asleep…" I huffed in a tearful chuckle as I came face to face with a snoring Emmett. "But I love you anyway…" I whispered.


	15. Chapter 15

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; Glad you enjoyed the couples fluff from the last chapter, especially Emmett, the big, soft, romantic, sleepy love fool! LOL! It just seemed something he would do. Little bit of drama in this chap-yep Mae meets Angie, but there will be mainly CXE fluff and a lemon. Quick note from last chap-arnica is an herbal remedy used to treat bruises, the song Em had played for Rose was by Irish band The Script. Would like to say a big thanks to Julie for her understanding, support and her cheerful tweets that make me smile. And Mih Team Carlisle-please don't cry and I still love your support-crazy or not!**

**ESMEPOV**

My eyes were open, but I wasn't really awake until, I felt Carlisle's strong, warm body curl itself protectively around me from behind, and his mouth begin moving over the soft skin behind my ear and along my neck.

"Good morning…beautiful…are you hungry?" he growled lowly, nipping gently at my earlobe.

"Starving…and so are you, by the feel of things?" I purred with a soft chuckle, pushing back a little against his prominent arousal, which was pressing against my ass.

"Maaeee." He hissed. "You should really… eat something before Alice gets here…" he moaned softly, as I continued to move back gently against him.

"I have plenty of time, before she gets here…" I said turning, so that I was lying on my back and staring up into his face as he lay on his side, but still half leaning over me, his head propped up on his hand. His hair was sexily ruffled from sleep and his eyes, despite his best efforts, were dark and hooded with his own need. I slipped my arms round his neck and pulled his face down to mine for a kiss.

"Please…baby…I…need you…" I breathed against his lips, letting the fingers of one hand begin working faster through hair on the nape of his neck, whilst I let the other slip down into the space between us and lightly scratch over his bare chest. I had whined last night, about how the unexpected heat wave that had hit London made it impossible to sleep, but I took it all back this morning, as I was positively drooling over the sight and feel of Carlisle's naked body pressed so intimately against my own.

"I…don't want…to…hurt…yoooou…" he moaned against my mouth as I began teasing his hard nipple between my fingers.

"You won't…"

"It's only…been…three weeks…god…" he moaned into my mouth as my hand on his chest began to move a little lower over his stomach and I rolled my hips against him.

"Only…" I chuckled, before allowing my tongue to stroke his softly, earning me another moan, which sent a wave of moisture and heat to my core. It had been three weeks since my run in with Julian Cavendish, the bruising had pretty much almost gone, but my ribs were still tender, especially if I over exerted myself, but I knew any discomfort I might feel after making love with Carlisle, would be more than worth the pleasure it would give us both. And it seemed he was quickly coming round to my way of thinking, as he carefully moved so he was lying between my legs, supporting his weight on his elbows, planted firmly either side of my head.

"God I've missed you…feeling…tasting…your… beautiful…soft…skin…" Carlisle breathed as he began laying hot, messy, open mouthed kisses along my neck and collar bone.

"Carlisle…don't stop…please…" I almost whimpered, as his mouth moved to my breast, where he took my pebble hard nipple in his mouth, and began alternating between gentle grazes with his teeth and soft sucks and licks. And he didn't, moving to give the other breast the same delightfully torturous treatment. My hands began moving wildly, down his back, moaning at the feel of his hard muscles moving beneath his skin.

"More…I need you…more…closer…" I breathed, ignoring the twinge in my chest as my body arched towards his mouth, and I lifted my hips, in an attempt to draw him inside me.

"Oh god…I need you too…" he growled against the overheated, sensitive skin of my breasts. "But you…you have to tell me…if I hurt you…"

I let out a strange, half moan, half growl of an answer.

**BUZZZZZZ, BUZZZZZZZZZ, BUZZZZZZZZ**

The front door. Who the hell was at the door?

"Alice…" we both moaned.

"Ignore it." I almost pleaded.

"Can't love…she has keys and she's not afraid to use them." Carlisle chuckled grimly into my neck, before rolling off me to the side.

"Not for much longer she doesn't."I snapped springing out of bed, quicker than I probably should have done but not caring. Slipping on the shirt Carlisle had been wearing the night before, I stomped from the bedroom to the front door, almost wrenching it off his hinges as I opened it.

"Hi…" Alice began to say, but stopped as she saw my face and what I wasn't wearing.

"Your spare keys." I hissed, holding out my hand.

"I wasn't going to use them." Alice squeaked, reaching in her ridiculously large shoulder bag. "I'm sorry for interrupting…but we did say ten thirty…I'll go back and wait in the car" She said in a small, shaky voice that quickly, began sweeping away the frustrated lust mist that had descended over me at her interruption. And when she finished rummaging in her bag and looked up at me, her large eyes shining with unshed tears, my feeling of being a complete bitch was complete.

"Oh…get in here…" I huffed, turning on my heel and stalking back into the apartment.

"We could leave it for another day, but a lot of these places have long waiting lists, even for the rich and titled." She said as she followed me in.

"You didn't use the Lady Cullen thing…" I groaned as I stomped round the kitchen grabbing a quick breakfast.

Alice nodded, hanging her head but looking up at me pleadingly through her lashes.

"You are, shamelessly shameless…" I growled.

"But you love me anyway…" she said.

"I must be crazy, but yes I do…now can you give me ten minutes to grab a shower and get dressed?"

"Sure…we have plenty of time…our first appointment isn't for another hour and its only ten minutes away." She sang happily, perching on one of the stools at the breakfast bar.

"So…what…why…so early?" I stammered.

"I need you looking like Lady Cullen…and I need you ready for trying on wedding dresses…you waxed like I told you didn't you?" she demanded.

I nodded dumbly.

""Kay…good, now…I need you to put…these on, under that wrap dress we bought last weekend." She said her tone business like, as she reached in her big bag once more and pulled a bag from a designer lingerie store.

"But…just trying on dresses…" I mumbled, wondering how the hell, she managed to turn the situation from me wanting to throttle her, to her dishing out orders like a wedding planning sergeant major and me following those orders, so damn quickly.

"And you won't know which dresses are truly comfortable…unless you have the right underwear and shoes on." She said slowly, as if she was explaining to a child.

"Alice…it's too hot to wear heels…" I said weakly.

"I know that, you can wear flats and change when we get there…now go…" she said making a shooing motion with her hands.

"Good for you darling…you really put the little pixie in her place." Carlisle chuckled grimly, as he came out of the shower and back into the bedroom, a still noticeable arousal tenting the front of his towel.

"Shut it…" I growled, palming him a little roughly through his towel, causing him to almost choke on a deep moan, and his eyes to roll back in his head.

"MAE! Do you need help with the zip on that Basque?" Alice called.

"Basque?" Carlisle ground out, snatching the bag from my hand before I could stop him. He pulled out, what would turn out to be a quite comfortable, if a little hot, white silk and lace Basque. Carlisle's eyes were almost black when he looked back at me.

"No Alice…she'll be fine…" he replied, his voice tight.

Alice's dirty chuckle made us both blush, but the heat in our faces was nothing, compared to the heat that was radiating from the two of us and charging the air.

"Okay…but please remember we do have a schedule…and she does need to shower. I'm just going to help myself to your fridge, and sit out on the balcony for ten…no make that fifteen minutes…there's an article on the new Gucci baby range in Vogue, and it just looks too cute." She called back.

"You heard the pixie…I need to shower…and I think you missed a bit when you took yours…" I purred, rolling my hips against him, biting my lip at the wonderful feeling of him against me.

"So I did."

We were so worked up, that it didn't take long for our frantic hands which began stroking, teasing and pumping each other the second we stepped back into the shower, to bring each other a little, of the release we both badly needed. It was something, but we both knew we needed more.

"You know the game Emmett and Jasper are coming over to watch?" I said over my shoulder, as I sat at the dressing table trying to control my hair, which always exploded into an uncontrollable frizz when wet.

"Mmm." Carlisle mumbled as he pulled a T-shirt on over his head.

"What time does it finish?" I asked, unable to stop myself from running my tongue over my lower lip, as I saw in the mirror how it clung to the strong broad planes of his chest, and rode up a little, exposing the trail of fine hair that trailed down beneath the waist band of the shorts that were sitting sinfully low on his hips.

"Why?" he asked, a smirk twitching on his lips as he met my gaze in the mirror.

"Well, after an afternoon spent shopping at Alice speed…" I began.

"I thought pregnant women got tired easily, especially in the heat…" Carlisle said sitting behind me on the end of the bed.

"Nope…you know she's never been bothered by the heat, and she says she's not starting now…and it's like being pregnant has given her even more energy than she had before…which is a truly…scary thought…" I said with a soft chuckle, as I moved over to the chair which I had draped the required wrap dress over. I slipped it on and moved back towards him, nudging his knee aside so I could stand between his legs, giving him a full view of my body as I began to slowly, reach for the edges of the dress and tie it together.

"Well…I'll definitely need some help getting this…" I said arching my silk covered torso towards him slightly, "off…so I can have another…longer…shower…so I was hoping the game might be finished and you could help me." I purred, stepping back and away from him as he went to grab me, muttering something about kicking Emmett and Jasper out at half time if I wanted him too.

"You're only five minutes late… and presentable too…I'm impressed…" Alice giggled as Carlisle and I emerged out onto the balcony a few minutes later.

"If you wanna keep those keys pixie and have me, play along with all this Lady Cullen stuff…"

"You're actually using your title?" Carlisle asked in amusement leaning back against the railings. He knew I was almost as embarrassed by it as he was.

"And the pretty black credit card that goes with it." Alice said happily.

That announcement had Carlisle's full attention. I was independent about many things, but none more so than money. At fifteen years old, I had started washing cars and packing bags at a market, to earn my own money so my mother, wouldn't have to stretch our tiny budget any further than it already was to buy me things. Carlisle knew this, and told me in no uncertain terms how much he admired me for it, but in return for him letting me take control of the household budget, paying some of the bills and miscellaneous living expenses we had, I had given in to his need to spoil me and reassure himself, that he was taking care of me in all ways a husband should, by accepting an allowance and a credit card drawn from his account. Today was the first time I had used it.

"Well wedding dresses aren't cheap…especially perfect ones...any requests love?" I asked, giving him a soft smile as I saw the love and delight shining from his eyes.

My dress for our registry office ceremony had been beautiful, but strangely practical. The nightmares I had endured seeing myself in a formal wedding gown, scaring me off wearing one again. But instead of finding my reasoning stupid, Carlisle had understood totally, admitting that one of own worst nightmares had involved me in a wedding dress. He wouldn't elaborate, but the raw pain and fear, I had seen in his eyes as he made his admission, made me determined to find a dress that would help us both make a new memory.

"You'll look beautiful in whatever you choose…but…" he began.

"We have done things our way, had our private ceremony, which our wonderful best friends totally understand, but now it's the time for us to show them how much we love them, by letting them arrange the wedding they always wanted us to have…the wedding that they know we deserve…and that they all really want to be part of. Even if the matron of honour, will not so much glide down the aisle as bounce, owing to the fact that she will be nine months pregnant and the size of a beach ball." Alice sang, her teasing tone returning after a brief crack of emotion in the middle. I knew Carlisle was thinking the same as I was, we were truly lucky to have the friends we did.

"But the shameless little pixie will still make maternity wedding wear, look fabulous." Carlisle teased as he sat next to her on the swing seat, pulling her into a one armed hug and kissing the top of her head.

"I know the eighties are back in style at the moment, but were puff ball sleeves stylish on wedding dresses even then?" I huffed as Alice and I exited one of the seemingly, endless number of wedding dress boutiques we had been too.

"They worked on big gowns, like Princess Diana's…" Alice said wistfully.

"Don't even think about it…" I growled, not liking the intense look she was giving me.

"As if…" she huffed with a giggle, giving me such a shove I fell through the door of the next boutique.

"Can I help you?" a tall, thin blonde woman, who according to her name tag was called Chelsea, asked us icily.

"Yes, you can tell Angelique that Lady Cullen is here for her consultation." Alice said sweetly, waving her hand at me, but her eyes were as hard as granite as she stared the snooty bitch out.

"Okay, there are times when this title thing comes in handy." I whispered to Alice as we watched Chelsea scurry off. She returned a few minutes later, with a smile that looked like it was causing her physical pain to maintain, plastered on her over made up face.

"Angelique will be with you shortly, can I get you anything?" she simpered.

"Yes, my friend and I would like some cold drinks, and perhaps somewhere to sit…" I replied in what I hoped was a suitably 'Ladylike' manner.

"Of course Lady Cullen…please follow me…"

Alice had to bury her face in the arm of mine she was holding, to hide her giggles. "You need to use your nose more…" she whispered.

"My nose?" I replied in a confused hiss.

"Yeah, all aristocrats and wanna be aristocrats…" she said with a pointed look at Chelsea's back, " look down their noses when they talk to the 'common people'. She replied in a giggly whisper. I turned to her, and tried to look down my nose, all I succeeded in doing, was going cross eyed and causing Alice to almost explode as she tried to hold in her laughter.

Chelsea seated us in a small, but very comfortable room that led off of the main dressing room area. We enjoyed our drinks and the chance to take the weight off of our tired, hot feet. But as Angelique continued taking her own sweet time in coming to see us, we were both beginning to get pissed off and nervous.

"Five more minutes and then Angelique can shove her exclusive designs where…"

"My apologies Lady Cullen…" a soft, but firm voice said from behind me.

"Holy…hell…" Alice hissed her eyes wide, her face deathly pale as she stared over my shoulder at who I just knew was Angelique.

"Hello Alice…" Angelique said with genuine warmth.

I saw Alice's mouth open and then close, before I turned to see a woman of about my own age and height, with a mass of fiery red hair and strikingly beautiful features stand before me.

"Come on Mae…we're leaving…" Alice said suddenly, springing up from the sofa and grabbing my hand. Her face was frighteningly angry as she glared at Angelique.

"Al…what is it? What's wrong?" I demanded, genuinely concerned by her pale face and trembling body.

"Please Alice, I'm sorry…" Angelique said stepping towards Alice I stepped between the pair of them.

" What were you thinking?" Alice demanded.

"That I had to meet the infamous Mae, the one who even after she destroyed him…still had Carlisle's heart… and when you rang requesting an appointment, I saw my chance…" she said.

" You're Angie…" I whispered, aware even in my shock that there hadn't been any malice in her words.

"Yes. I'm sorry for my…theatrics…"

"Well, show's over…we're leaving. I can't believe you would do something so…why? Why would you do this? You and Carlisle…it's been over for years…you've moved on…I've seen how well you've moved on…did your Russian billionaire hus…band…buy you this place?" Alice demanded, drawing out and emphasizing, the word husband.

"Alice…I'm truly sorry…I wasn't thinking…"

"You can say that again! Damn it Angie…I thought you had more class than this!" Alice said her voice heavy, with sadness and disappointment.

"So did I…" Angie sighed. "But I only wanted to talk to her…" she said quickly, looking at me. I was standing there like an idiot, but I still couldn't believe it was happening and in such a surreal place.

"And what did you want to say? You're too fucking late if you want Carlisle…"

"I know that!" Angie said sharply.

"Good." I said finally. I met her intense gaze with one of my own, hoping that it spelled out in a calm, civilized way B-A-C-K O-F-F B-I-T-C-H. I knew it was stupid, I knew it would never happen, but the thought of her…any other woman, wanting to try and take, or think about taking Carlisle away from me, snapping me out of my reverie and putting me on full alert, ready to rip them apart.

"I'm very happy with Vladimir…"Angie hissed.

"And Carlisle and Mae have the kind of happiness, people only fucking dream about having…now we've got that clear…we can all get on with our lives…" Alice sneered dragging me out the door. We were half way back down the hall when I pulled Alice to a halt.

"Al…you looked exhausted and stress isn't got for bubba…" I said patting her slightly rounded stomach gently. "Go wait for me in the car."

"Mae!" she squeaked

"She obviously has something she wants to say…if she went to all this trouble." I said. There had been something in Angie's eyes.

" Five minutes…then I'm coming back in…" Alice said sternly when she realized that I was serious.

"Honey, this isn't going to end the way Carlisle's meeting with Paul did…"I said seeing what she was thinking.

"Five minutes." She repeated.

I found Angie, in the large dressing area she was fussing over some of the dresses hanging on rails round the room. Our eyes met in one of the mirrors, but she wouldn't turn round, preferring to carry on moving about.

"Now you're here…I'm not sure what I want to say…" she laughed weakly.

"Try the conversation I'm sure you've practiced many times, in the mirror at home." I suggested.

"Is that what you did? When you and Carlisle met up again?" she asked

"Something like that…" I replied tightly. I had stood practicing in the mirror, wrote letters, e-mails…but there had been no real way to prepare for 'that' conversation with Carlisle, as we had proved.

"You destroyed him." She said finally.

"I know." I replied.

That shocked her enough to turn and face me. She would not however, move come any closer to me, preferring to hide behind the two large wedding gowns she had in her arms.

"There were reasons…I did what I did." Carlisle's forgiven me, my friends have forgiven me. Carlisle loves me…Carlisle loves me… I repeated to myself over and over as the intense, probing look in her eyes began to unsettle me and make me feel weirdly vulnerable all of a sudden.

"Jane?" the slight smirk twitching Angie's lips told me a lot.

"She talked about me then…in truly glowing terms I'm sure…" I replied, my own lips twitching in a smile.

"Something like that." Angie replied, using my own words. "I take it she doesn't know you and Carlisle are back together? Or that you're using the title already." She snapped, her eyes flashing.

There it was, the bitterness I'd been expecting.

"Oh, she knows that Carlisle and I are back together…what she doesn't know, is that we're already married, therefore giving me every right to use the title when and where I like…" I replied icily.

She covered her shock quickly, but I still saw it.

Mae 1 Angie 0

"Congratulations…" she drawled. "Any reason for the rush?" her eyes went to my stomach. Okay, so maybe this was going to end up like when Carlisle met Paul. I thought savagely.

"No…not yet." I replied, emphasizing the last word. "It's Alice that's full of pregnancy hormones…not me, so I'd better go…"

"Alice is pregnant." Angie said quickly.

"Yes…look maybe this wasn't such a great idea…I thought there was something you wanted to say…other than the predictable bitchy comments." I said turning on my heel.

"There is…apart from please give Alice and Jasper my congratulations…they've wanted this for so long…" she said genuinely. I nodded as I turned.

"There's part of me that hates you…for what you did to Carlisle, he's a good man…one of the best…he didn't deserve what you did…but I know now that it wasn't all you. Jane is a first class bitch, who deserves whatever punishment the courts throw at her… darling the blue blood jungle drums beat louder than most, especially if the gossip is about someone as universally hated as Jane Cullen…she was tolerated, for Aro's sake…please pass on my condolences to Carlisle and Edward…he was a lovely man…" she said in answer to the shock at her knowledge.

"I know…" I whispered.

"And your greatest supporter…he found me crying once, when I found Carlisle's porn collection…"

"Excuse me?"

"No…nothing like that…although, I must admit…Carlisle was more man than I could really handle…not because he was kinky or anything…but he was more passionate, intense, needy both emotionally and physically than I was used to…than I could handle."

I admired her courage for admitting something so personal. And her words were true, Carlisle could be incredibly demanding and passionate, on occasion almost animalistic, both in bed and out, but he could also just as quickly become vulnerable, needing to receive and give breathtaking tenderness.

"No Carlisle's porn was pictures of you…together, laughing, doing normal couple things. Things we did…he never smiled in any of our pictures together…not the same way he smiled in yours…" she said sadly, cursing softly as she tried to raise a hand to wipe her eyes, without dropping one of the gowns she was holding. "He hid them away in the beginning…but in those last six months, they'd turn up all over the apartment…"

"I'm sorry." I whispered and I truly was.

"So am I…I really did love him…" she said roughly, keeping her back to me as she finally moved the dresses over to a rail.

"He regrets how he treated you…he told me that he really did care about you…"

"But I wasn't enough…I wasn't as strong…I didn't understand…I couldn't complete him in the way Aro said you could…can…are…" she babbled.

"I know I hurt him…and I will never forgive myself for that…because as you said, he didn't deserve it…he is a good, kind, wonderful man and I plan on spending the rest of my life loving him, caring for him…trying to give him back even a small amount of what he gives me…" I said roughly, my hand roughly running over my own face where I felt the tears falling.

"Jane won't make that easy…"

"Jane can go to hell…" I replied. And as our eyes met in the large mirror one more time, I saw an encouraging smile on Angie's face.

"Carlisle is a very special man Mae…I hope…I hope you really are as perfect for him as Aro…Alice thinks you are…I hope, you have the strength to make him as happy as he deserves to be..."

"I do…"

"OHMYGOD!OHMYGOD!AREYOUOKAY?WHATHAPPENED?" Alice demanded as I collapsed into the passenger seat of the Porsche.

"We cleared the air a little…don't worry, she's in one piece…" I sighed. "Al, I'm really sorry…but I've had enough…I just really want to go home…" to Carlisle. We had come so far in getting over what we'd been through, our fears, but seeing, hearing Angie had left me feeling vulnerable. I needed to feel Carlisle's arms round me, hear him tell me that he loved me I needed to tell him, show him that I loved him.

We arrived home just as the match had ended and the boys were engaged in post match analysis, beer cans and pizza boxes littered around them. Carlisle was in the kitchen.

"You're not seriously telling me, that in all the shops…" Emmett began

"Boutiques…" Jasper corrected smugly.

"And he sounds so proud he knows that…" Emmett said rolling his eyes, "that you couldn't find one you liked." He finished.

"We didn't get round everywhere…" Alice sighed.

"Al…?" Jasper asked, worry all over his face.

"I'm okay honey, really…a little tired maybe…" she said sitting herself in his lap. Jasper now had a vicious looking scar on his shoulder that was covered by a smaller dressing, he just started physical therapy and was supposed to keep his arm supported in a sling, but it was forgotten as he wrapped it protectively round his wife.

"It was my fault, I had enough after the last store…"I said.

"Yeah…the staff were…"

"Alice!" I snapped.

My reaction of course put Carlisle on alert and drew curious, worried looks from Emmett and Jasper.

"What happened?" he asked, resting his arms on the counter and leaning forward towards where I was sitting on one of the stools in front of him.

"Mae?" he demanded when I didn't answer, worry creeping into his voice.

"Angie thought it would be funny to let Mae come and look at wedding dresses in the store she owns…she wanted to meet her…" Alice snarled.

"What the fuck?" Emmett and Jasper exploded.

"What happened?" Emmett demanded "Jeez, Rose is going to be so pissed off she wasn't here…"

Rose, was helping Bella learn some new technical scenes that had been added to the script of the movie she was shooting. Emmett was her official advisor, but the game the boys had been watching, was a major one for the team Emmett had supported since he was a boy. Bella had understood totally, telling us about her own sports mad father.

"We just talked…calmly…like the adults we are…" I said tightly.

"And on that disappointing anticlimax…we…" Jasper said pointedly looking at Emmett "will leave love you both and leave you…" I hoped he saw the gratitude in my eyes. Carlisle was quiet, too quiet as he stood behind the counter, a strained smile on his face as he made all the right noises.

I took my time coming back from showing everyone out. Carlisle was out on the balcony taking a deep pull on a cigarette. He didn't complain, when I took it from him and took a drag myself.

"What really happened?" he said finally.

"As I said…we talked." I sighed collapsing onto the love seat behind me. He stayed leaning against the balcony, facing me.

"What did she have to say?"

"Nothing I didn't know…"

"She upset you." He said softly. It was a statement, not a question.

" A little…no, upset's not the right word…she made me feel a little vulnerable and I hate that…because I know I have no need to be…" I stood and walked towards him, resting my hands either side of him on the balcony and standing so that my body was trapping him against it.

"Tell me you love me…" I whispered, tipping my forehead against his.

" I love you and only you…always…" he said, reaching up to tuck the hair behind my ear, before letting his fingers ghost over my cheek.

"You know how much I love you…that I'll love you forever?" I couldn't stop the desperation that crept into my voice. "How much this…our vows mean to me?" I said raising my left hand. I switched my rings back from the right hand to the left, as soon as I stepped through the door at night.

"I…do…" he said reverently, before taking my hand in his, raising it to his lips and kissing my rings. I whimpered softly as my other hand left the balcony and began moving gently through his hair, which looked almost gold, as he was bathed in the warm, honey coloured light of the slowly setting sun.

His lips met mine slowly at first, tenderly reinforcing his words. But sometimes, especially with us, actions spoke louder than words and, it wasn't long before his tounge was tracing my lower lip, begging for entrance that I gave readily, moaning at the feel of him stroking, tasting claiming my mouth as his own. When I needed to breathe, he simply moved his kisses to my neck, reaching my collar bone, he let his lips ghost gently over the puckered, sensitive skin of the scar Julian had given me, mumbling words I couldn't quite hear, before greedily sucking and licking the overheated and equally as sensitive skin of the other side.

"Damn…your skin tastes even more amazing when you're hot and sweaty…" he moaned.

"Whatever turns you on love." I chuckled softly, my hands running through his hair, along his shoulders and down his back.

"And you do…so…damn much…" he sighed as he moved his attentions down to the swell of my breasts visible above where my dress was tied. His warm breath caused my nipples to pebble instantly, a fact Carlisle noticed and took advantage of, stopping his hands gentle caress of my sides, so that his thumbs could brush over them.

"Car…lisle…off…take it off…" I moaned as the feel of his teasing fingers, moving over the satin of the underwear I was wearing, made the pleasure almost painful in its intensity. I let my hand fall and began to palm him gently through his shorts.

"Your dress? With pleasure…" he hissed, his hands shaking slightly as he ripped open the ties of my dress. "But…I'd really like you to keep this…on" he said a little shyly, as he ran his hand over the satin. I gasped at the combination of his hands, and the slight breeze coming off the Thames on my skin. He pushed me back away from him slightly, letting his eyes roam greedily and agonizingly slowly, over me.

"God…you're stunning…" he growled, letting his hands move from my face, down my neck, over my shoulders, up and down my arms, along my sides, my head fell back, as his hands began palming my breasts.

"Breathtakingly beautiful…passionate…loving…so strong…so brave…and…"

"Yours…" I said cutting off his awe filled musing. I was on fire with need both physical and mental for him. Shrugging my dress from shoulders, I stalked towards him. "And you…" I said tugging on the hem of his T-shirt. He almost ripped it in his haste to remove it. "Are mine…to love and cherish…" I said lightly brushing his lips with my own. "to touch…" I let my hands wander over his shoulders and down his chest, raking lightly with my nails in the way I knew would elicit a deep growl of pleasure from him. "To taste…" I purred, letting my tounge, drag lightly along his jaw and down the side of his neck.

"Mae…" Carlisle whimpered.

"To tease…" I chuckled softly, as I stepped away from him, and with one last look over my shoulder I raced back inside towards the bedroom. I had just reached the end of the bed, when Carlisle appeared in the doorway…naked. His eyes were hooded and black as he stalked towards me. A strange mix of fear and lust caused me to shiver.

"Say it again…"he said quietly.

"What?" I asked dumbly.

"That I'm yours…" he said roughly.

"You are mine, Carlisle…mind, body, heart…soul…and Angie…any other woman…they can look…admire…but they can never touch you. I will never…let anyone take you away from me…" I breathed raggedly, as I slipped my fingers beneath the band of the lace underwear that went with the basque. The intensity of his eyes, as he watched me lower them down my legs, and the sight of his now steel hard arousal, almost rendered me incapable of breathing, let alone speech. Moving forward quickly, he pulled me flush against him and let loose, the most erotic sounding deep moan into my mouth as kissed me and surprisingly gently, lowered me back onto the bed.

"I would never, could never…want any other woman but…you…" he breathed against my neck as he slid into me. We both cried out at the feeling of being joined together after so long.

"Unghh…Car…lis…le…you feel…so good…" I moaned, arching towards him and hooking a leg over his hip in an attempt to draw him closer. He began to thrust into me torturously slowly. We babbled nonsense in between messy, hot kisses as we moved together. It wasn't long, before I felt the warmth rush over me, and the tight coil of need in my stomach begin to loosen.

"Car…lisle…I'm so close…faster baby please…" I moaned, clenching my muscles tightly around him, to hold him inside me for a few seconds.

"Oh Christ…Mae…oh…do that…again…please…" he whimpered. I did and he began to move faster. I was so close…I wanted to move against him a little harder, but I could feel the still tender muscles around my ribs, beginning to protest at the sudden intense activity. I let my hand snake down the space between us, created by Carlisle holding his weight off me on his arms, to reach my swollen clit.

"God…yes…" Carlisle growled as he saw what I was doing. His thrusts lost their rhythm, as he kept his eyes on what my hand was doing and how my body was reacting. He was almost whimpering with the intensity

"Next time…I want to feel your…fingers touching me…" I moaned, not caring how wanton it sounded.

"No one else…" he ground out.

"Nev…er." I screamed as I came apart beneath him. The rush was so intense I had to grip his shoulder tightly to try and ground myself. Carlisle soon followed me over the edge, telling me in a noisy rush, how much he loved me and only me.

It wasn't so much, that Angie was Carlisle's ex which had caused us both to feel a little vulnerable, we knew there would never be another man or woman that would ever be enough, to tempt us away from each other and what we had. And even though Angie's deception and the location of our meeting had been pretty surreal, it had in a way, given all three of us a sense of closure. It was her connection to the past…to Jane and telling her about and seeing her reaction to the upcoming wedding blessing that had gotten to us a little. We were married and stronger than ever, but she was the living breathing embodiment of our greatest fear, a fear that became even greater the happier we were and the deeper we fell in love, the fear of being parted again. And although we never admitted it to each other, we both knew that when she found out, she would try to do it again. We knew she wouldn't succeed, but that didn't stop us worrying about just what lengths she would go to this time.

**CARLISLE POV**

MI8, the investigation team was, as I expected they would be, intrusive, intimidating and patronizing but also, incredibly through, and it took them less than a week to clear my team and Edward from having any knowledge, or involvement in Julian and Harry Deans attempt on the Prince's life. Although I think Edward was cleared so quickly, because Prince William insisted on speaking up on his behalf in truly glowing terms.

"Julian Cavendish?" I queried as I stood to leave my final interview with the MI8 investigator.

"Is still helping us with our enquiries…" the short, bald man said grimly, not bothering to life his eyes from the file he was scribbling in.

"Will this go to trial?" I ground out.

This got his attention. He looked up from his file and observed me through narrowed, shrewd eyes.

"Yes, but it won't be for quite awhile. And when it does happen, it will be in closed chambers, without a jury. We have a permanent D notice on the case…does that bother you?"

A Prince of the realm had almost been killed, by a still unknown group of men, who were supposed to be guarding not only his safety but that of the entire country. But would dragging them through a public, circus style trial, really make the public feel safer? That was if MI8 could actually find, and make cases against the men Julian had been working with. Personally, I thought it would just cause more distrust and bad feeling between the public and the police, making the never ending job of protecting London and the entire country even harder. And the thought of Julian being held indefinitely, with the serious heavy villains who resided in Belmarsh Prison's top security wing bothered me even less. I would never forget, or forgive what Julian had done to Mae, but I knew I would have to let the dust settle a little before I took my revenge.

"Not as much, as it should do." I replied honestly.

I closed the door, and came face to face with Jasper and Mae who had just finished up with their own interviews. It had been almost six weeks since the incident. Mae had been forced to take a couple of days off, when as I had thought she had woken up the next morning and for the next several mornings, barely able to move without squealing in pain. As much as I trusted Leah and Jake, they were still too inexperienced to deal with some of the other cases the SCI were in the middle of, and so I had, had to go into work. It was times like this that showed me, just how much I relied on, and took Jasper's easy, quiet confidence and control for granted. After a day spent with Edward, Mae had, at Jasper's desperate insistence, gone and spent her other day of sick leave with him. Alice had been thrilled at having Mae captive to discuss wedding plans, especially as the date had been bought forward. Alice's first baby scan had revealed that her due date, or the date that her doctor wanted to deliver the baby in an attempt to stop Alice and the baby suffering unnecessarily due to her narrow birth canal, was the original date of the wedding blessing.

Mae and I, both immediately said we would postpone until Alice could be there with us. Our offer had caused Alice to burst into noisy tears and almost choke the life from us both in hugs; we had agreed a compromise and bought the date forward to earlier in December. Which meant Jane, who was a key part of Julian's trial, whenever that might be and I was guessing, it probably wouldn't be until next year, MI8 would want to check, double check and check again, every fact, would be subjected to the excitement the ceremony would cause in the village! And as pleasurable as that thought was, I had actually laughed out loud during a particularly dull meeting thinking about it, both Mae and I knew we would have to be prepared for Jane to make one last attempt to split us up.

It would never, could never happen, but we had been through so much lately, not least Mae's meeting with Angie. It was a meeting that I knew would, had to happen to give us all closure on that part our pasts at least, but that hadn't stopped me being more than a little nervous about it. And those nerves had become real, stomach clenching fears when I heard how Angie had bought it about. As stupid as it sounded, wedding dresses were a sensitive subject to Mae and I. I had wanted choosing a dress and better yet, letting me actually pay for it, to be a happy, fun thing for Mae. Not a reminder of our time apart, and what an emotional retard I could be, had been with Angie.

"I need a…" Jasper said

"a cigarette…" I added grimly, trying to shake my head clear of my dark thoughts, and focus on what I had planned for Mae and I.

"and a very large drink." Mae finished with a tight smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"That bad love?" I asked tightly, as she attempted to edge through the door I had held for Jasper and her to go through. She stopped in front of me, resting her hand lightly on my chest for a moment, her eyes soft and grateful for my concern.

"Nothing I couldn't handle, so there's no need to go back in there, to start ripping MI8 investigator's heads off…" she chuckled. She knew me too well. And the tension I could see in her face and shoulders, told me that there had obviously been an MI8 investigator that needed me to remind him of his manners, especially when talking with my wife, but…

"CARLISLE! The car! Oh god, please don't say the Mercedes has been stolen…we'll never live it down…" Mae moaned in a tormented rush. We had exited the non descript office building where MI8 were housed and Mae had just noticed the Mercedes was not where I had parked it when we arrived. I trusted Jake…I did…it's only a car…it's only my car…my pride and joy…

"Jasper…this isn't funny!" she hissed. Jasper was leaning back against his own car, arms casually folded over his chest, an amused smirk on his face. "It's not funny…" she repeated swatting his arm.

"Heh! I've only just got it out of that damn sling." He huffed, clutching his not hundred percent healed arm, protectively to his chest. Mae looked suitably sheepish until, he grinned again.

"Carlisle…" she whined.

I tried and failed to keep my face straight.

"Mae love…calm down…Jake has taken the car home for us…"

"What? Why?" she demanded.

"Can we do this somewhere else…?" Jasper said nodding towards the CCTV camera over MI8's door that was trained on us. Mae and I had informed those that needed to know, including MI8 that we were married, and whilst they weren't happy, they were allowing us to continue as we were as long as we didn't flaunt it.

"Start talking Cullen, and make it good…" Mae growled at me from the back seat of Jasper's Audi. Shit, I loved it when she got masterful.

"Jake's taken the car home, because I really didn't want to leave it in airport parking for four days…" I said.

"Airport? Where are you going?" she asked in a small voice that tore at my heart.

"We love…we are going away for a few days."

"Away? But…we can't…what about work?"

"Um hello! Pretty damn good detective sitting here…" Jasper said raising one hand from the steering wheel briefly.

" But…I'll need to pack, where are we going?"

"You know whilst you were helping Rose sort out the heating in her new flat?" I asked. I saw her nod in the mirror. "Well…Alice came over…bags are in the trunk."

A million different thoughts and emotions flickered over Mae's face, and worryingly, none of them looked very happy.

"I thought I'd surprise you…I just wanted us, to have a few days…away from everything…" I said quietly. My tone must have snapped her out of her shock.

"The big, lazy coward wanted to escape from Alice and the frighteningly large pile of wedding invitations that need writing…" Jasper teased.

Mae snorted with laughter at this. We had both been amazed at how many people were coming, even after we had ruthlessly cut the list. Whilst Mae still hadn't found a dress and had only half heartedly looked, Alice had insisted we send out the invitations now. She had arrived with half a rain forest of paper types for us to chose from, and a book full of the seemingly endless number of fonts we could choose from, which had all seemed to blur into one after the first hour. After the second hour, Mae and I had both decided it would just be easier to e-mail people or send them a tweet on Twitter. It had taken me literally running, to the bakery down the street for several slices of their incredible chocolate fudge cake, to stop Alice from exploding and in her own words 'ripping our arms off, and beating us round the head with the soggy end, till we saw sense'.

"Where are we going? Or is that a surprise too?" Mae asked softly, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror.

"Ireland. It's Embry's seventieth birthday. He's having a hoolie…and he's invited us over for the craic." I said adopting a terrible Irish accent.

"EXCUSE ME!" Jasper exploded. "I know things have been tough…but drugs!"

"He's invited us to have a laugh…fun…enjoy ourselves…" I chuckled. "Although he assures me is home brewed pocheen…alcohol…" I clarified "Is lethal."

" A drunken long weekend spent enjoying ourselves…sounds grand…" Mae replied with a genuine happy laugh, that I hadn't heard in what felt like forever.

Embry Maxwell was my father's best friend and owner of the house in the next village, where we would be having the wedding reception. Mae and I, had spent several long, laughter filled evenings with the old rogue at his home in London. His main home was now in Ireland, but he opened his house in the country to the public and came to London for private medical treatment from time to time.

"Lord and Lady Cullen I presume. She hasn't made as much damn noise for anyone else's arrival." Embry growled in mock annoyance, as he came out of the lounge to greet us in the hallway of his beautiful country house.

"Ahh…go boil your head…you grumpy old goat." Bridie, Embry's long time housekeeper, nurse and best friend shot back at him. "Aren't you the one, that's been pestering the life out of me every five minutes wanting to know when they'd be arriving?"

"No, I was pestering you to know when Mae would be arriving. I only have a weekend to persuade her to leave his Lordship here…" he said jerking his thumb at me. "and come and live with me." He chuckled moving towards Mae, embracing her warmly and kissing her cheek.

"I'm afraid that's never going to happen, for you…or any other man." She said softly. I knew this, but it still caused my heart to misbehave in my chest when I actually heard her say it.

"As if, she'd leave this fine figure of a man for you…" Bridie scoffed, her twinkling eyes belying her fierce face.

"You can't blame me for trying. And don't be telling me woman, you won't be trying to tempt Carlisle away with your…"

Bridie let out a shocked and embarrassed screech, before she began herding us back towards the lounge.

"The only thing I'll be doing…for the pair of them…is feeding them up…skin and bones the pair of them. As if he'd leave this beauty for an old bag like me. No…I'm stuck with your sour puss…" she growled.

"She loves me really." Embry joked with a wink. And the thing was, she really did.

"Carlisle!" came a familiar voice to tear me out of my laughter.

"Peter! How are you? How's south America?" I demanded in delight as I saw Embry's son Peter, who next to Jasper was my closest friend, striding into the lounge through the French windows that opened out onto the huge lawns.

"Too damn hot, but beautiful…it's so good to see you…" he said pulling me into a hug.

"You too…is Charlotte with you?"

"Do you think I'd let him come all this way without me?" Charlotte, the dark eyed, olive skinned beauty that was Peter's wife, and a good friend said laughingly from the doorway. She gave me a hug, but her eyes were focused over my shoulder at…shit…Mae…who was standing nervously in the doorway.

"Mae…I'm sorry darling…" I said rushing back to her. I hated to feel her trembling as I led her forward, holding her tightly to me.

"You remember Peter and Charlotte…"

"Of course." She said smiling nervously. She and Charlotte had been getting quite close seven years ago. Charlotte was one of the many, who had tried to tell me how bad things really were between Mae and Jane. She and Peter had been furious about what happened then, but they had still taken me in and cared for me, when I had arrived almost zombie like at their place in Rio.

Please god, please let this be okay…she's had enough stress…please I prayed silently.

Charlotte stepped forward.

"Mae…I know I speak for Peter when I say…thank you so much…" she said quietly.

"What for?" Mae asked, as confused as I was.

"For having the courage to come back… Alice…she told us…she didn't want you to suffer anyone getting the wrong idea, as she said…you've been through enough…both of you have…" Charlotte said a little sheepishly. I love you Alice I thought! Why the hell hadn't I thought of trying to protect Mae by telling our closest friends the truth? Save her from her the anxiety that I could feel radiating from her now. "But I really want to thank you, for bringing Carlisle back to us…bringing him back to life…" Charlotte said her voice cracking with emotion as she held her arms open to Mae. As the two women embraced, I heard Mae whisper "he did the same for me…life was too damn hard and lonely without him."

"Drinks! We need drinks!" Embry boomed. We were all grateful for him lightening the heavy, emotional atmosphere that had decended.

"And if we're going to thank Mae for anything…I would like to thank her for wiping the smug smile of that evil old witch…I'm sorry Carlisle…" Embry said.

"Go ahead." I said with a tight smile.

"For wiping the smile off Jane's face…I will never forgive myself for letting her force me out of my dearest friend's life…when he needed me the most…wasted years…" Embry said roughly, scrubbing a hand over his face.

"Embry…Dad knew how you felt about him…and you were there at the end…he loved your visits and the little swigs of pocheen you bought him…" I said with a soft chuckle.

"I don't know what you mean…" Embry said innocently, but with a twinkle in his eye. My father would draw on every last ounce of energy he had, to try and make his visits with Embry as long as possible. He often ended up sleeping for days after, as his cancer ravaged body struggled to recover.

"And you…what type of godfather was I…you needed me…and where was I? Cowering away from…Cruella De Ville!" he roared.

"Embry stop it!" I said firmly "She could have killed you…she did kill poor Joycie…" I said bitterly.

"What happened?" Mae demanded.

"We were having work down at Harrowview…Jane didn't tell Embry about some scaffolding that hadn't been properly secured yet. Embry was walking beneath it, he knocked one of the poles…Joycie his guide dog managed to push him out the way but…"

"Bitch! Oh god…I'm so sorry Embry…" Mae said scooting closer to Embry, who was sat next to us on one of the lounges large couches. She gave his arm a tight squeeze.

"God bless yer Joycie old girl…I knew there was a reason I loved that dog so much." He said raising his glass with a tearful chuckle as he squeezed Mae back. "Poor Edward…he loved her as much as I did…cried for hours…how is he? I can't believe the bitch would risk him going to jail…"

"Edward's not a suspect anymore…he may have to give evidence at the trial…but I'm sure his carrying on with a real life Hollywood movie star will take his mind off it." I teased.

"Who?" Charlotte demanded.

"Bella Swan…" Mae replied with a giggle.

"Lucky bast…" Peter began, but stopped hanging his head sheepishly beneath Charlotte's icy glare.

"Aro always thought Edward inherited his charm and way with the ladies from him…not at all…I taught the boy everything he knows." Embry declared, glaring round at us all, daring us to argue. It had been Embry, who had been a military medic until a phosphorous explosion had taken his eyesight almost twenty years ago, that had set Edward on his career path. As close as Edward and Dad where, it was when he was under the influence of Embery's gentle teasing and easy going nature that you saw him, really relax. He had wanted to come this weekend but he was still trying to keep his new tourist ventures running from Harrowview, he also had to be around to deal with the authorities from the National Heritage Trust, the organization that monitored and inspected listed buildings such as Harrowview, whether they were privately owned or otherwise.

Mae and I spent the rest of the afternoon catching up with Peter, Charlotte and several of the other house guests who arrived during the afternoon. They were mainly Irish guests, who embraced Mae and I warmly. I don't think I had ever heard Mae laugh as much, or look as beautiful.

Embry's party was as loud, fun with an amazing band which played modern music as well as traditional Irish stuff. I would take several wonderful memories from this trip, but one that I knew, I would revisit many times over the coming weeks, months and years was one taken from the party. Embry had nagged us all up onto the dance floor to dance the Siege of Ennis, a traditional Irish dance which had moments were the small groups of dancers would hold each other and spin rapidly in a circle. Mae had been in my group, the sight of her, head thrown back in loud, genuine laughter as she span had taken my breath away. She was so beautiful. As the music stopped however, she had stumbled and fallen against me.

" Okay, is the room really spinning or is it me?" she breathed, with a giggle, her cheeks flushed a beautiful pink from her exertion and the few drinks she had had.

" No…I think it's definitely spinning." I laughed.

"I tell you what…I won't let you go, if you don't let me go…then neither of us will fall…" she said nodding her head seriously. "Deal?' she asked.

"Deal." I replied, not able to stop myself from kissing her.

"Car…lisle…now is…not…the time for one of your knee trembling kisses…" she chuckled against my lips. Her words echoed loudly round the quiet ballroom.

"What? It's true…the man has the face of an angel, and the lips and tounge of the divil himself so he has…" she said in a pretty good Irish accent, to the amused faces watching us.

I had woken with a thick head the next morning, to find a note on Mae's empty pillow stating that she was never drinking again and that she had taken the cowards way out and gone shopping with Charlotte and one of the other women whose name I couldn't remember, rather than face the teasing we knew would come at breakfast. I was having enough trouble remembering my own after downing several pints of Guinness or 'holy water with the froth on top' as Embry called it to wash out my devilish mouth. I had dim memories of singing Oh Danny Boy and a few Irish Rebel songs that I didn't even know I knew, then it all went blank.

Mae arrived back at the house at lunchtime and rather than looking like death warmed up like the rest of us, she was glowing with happiness and what looked excitement. After a lunch full of good natured banter, she had dragged me out into the grounds for some fresh air.

"Don't be doing anything I wouldn't…" Embry said with a chuckle as he passed us.

We found a spot on the far side of the lake under some trees. Mae had bought a blanket and we collapsed down onto it, me with my delicate head in her lap. I was literally purring as she began running her fingers through my hair and massaging my scalp. I opened my eyes briefly, to see the sun shining through the branches of the tree, making Mae's hair which she had let fall in it's natural soft curls, shine like a halo.

"You are so beautiful…" I whispered.

"Which one of me?" she said laughing softly. I had apparently complained at some stage of having triple vision.

"This one…" I said reaching up and pulling her down to me for a kiss. Her soft lips moved against mine tenderly, there was no rush…we had time for once and we made the most of it. I moved us, so that Mae was beneath me as we playfully licked, nipped and sucked on each other's lips and tounges.

"I love my love in the morning,

For she like the morn is fair"

"Poetry?" Mae chuckled softly.

"I'll stop then shall I?" I huffed with mock annoyance going to pull away and sit up.

"No…please…it's just you've never quoted poetry for me before…" she said, pouting adorably as she tightened the grip of her arms round my neck and pulled me back down over her.

"The way you looked these last few days…so beautiful…not that you're not always beautiful…" I said quickly. She rolled her eyes and grinned at my words. "You just look so happy…so care free, so joyful…especially today…" I said, letting my hand stroke over her face.

"I am happy, you were so right darling…we needed sometime away…it's felt so good the last few days seeing you so relaxed, having fun, and I have loved just being one of the girls here, having nothing more to worry about than how often I can steal you away for another one of your knee trembling kisses, or whether any of my clothes will still fit after I've eaten everything Bridie puts infront of me…" she chuckled.

"Or my biggest…favourite worry…"

"And what's that?" I asked, unable to stop myself from feeding off the happiness and excitement that was rolling off of her.

"Whether my wedding dress makes it back to London in one piece…" she said, a breathtakingly, beautiful smile lighting up her face.

"You found one…" I breathed, feeling tears prick the corners of my eyes.

She nodded. "It's perfect…Charlotte and Olivia took me to a small shop in the next village…and we sent Alice photo's…she loves it…" she giggled.

"And do you love it?"

"I do…I hope…I really think it's the one to give us our new memory my darling…" she breathed, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Oh Mae…" I said, crashing my lips back against her swollen ones.

"Do I get any clues?...Little hints?" I teased when we broke apart to breath

"Nope." She said with a grin.

"Please…" I pouted.

"This is the one time, that won't work." She said.

"You're sure about that." I said seriously. She nodded.

"Well that's a shame…" I said sadly. "it looks like, I'll have to take a more aggressive, hands on approach…to try and get you to spill." I said beginning to tickle her gently.

"Okay, okay…" she panted finally. "It has a lace veil." She said.

I couldn't help the soft moan that escaped me as I imagined Mae in something so beautiful, so feminine as a lace veil on our wedding day. Lifting it to see her beautiful face as she said her vows again.

"Now…I want some more poetry…" she huffed.

"Can't remember any more…" I said honestly, my mind still full of Mae in a lace veil.

"Please…" she purred in my ear, nibbling the lobe.

My voice was rough with emotion as I gazed down into her face, which seemed to be lit from within with her happiness and love…for me…us…

"And I will love my darling one, till even the sun itself shall fade…"

**AN; Okay then. Hope you can all find something in there to like. Please hit the button. Now, two questions. Does anyone have any moral objection against boxing? Or me putting it in the story. All will be explained-trust me!**

**Next question. I know this is probably a bit presumptive of me, but I have started roughing out a sequel to this story. Don't even know if you'd like a sequel! LOL! Anyway I have a dilemma. Do I use this idea as a separate story, or would you like me to incorporate it in this story and make this is a much longer story? New idea would all happen after the wedding and Mae's show down with Lady J.**


	16. Chapter 16

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN;** **You guys sure know how to make a scribbler feel good about themselves! Thanks so much for all your enthusiasm and support over sequel idea. And welcome to the couple of new readers that arrived last chap. What I've decided, is to extend this story first with two extra cases, a small one which starts in this chapter which will cover the time till and effect in a small way, Mae's showdown with Jane. And then a larger more detailed case after the wedding, which will have the potential to create a separate sequel, we'll see how it goes. Incase you're wondering, Lady J is back towards end of next chap, just in time to make it a birthday Carlisle would rather forget. Now this is M rated for lemons and the implied violence of boxing.**

**Mid August-Mid September**

**ESME POV**

"In three…" Rose sighed.

"Two…" Bella smirked. It had been weeks, weeks of the same damn thing, EVERY, time I stepped into the gym and Emmett saw me. But she laughed, every time, and worse, she encouraged him! Confirming what we had all suspected for awhile, that beneath her beautiful, talented, sophisticated exterior, Hollywood star Bella Swan was in fact Emmett's long lost, equally crazy twin sister.

"One…" I groaned.

"YO! ESSSMAYYYY!" Emmett boomed, causing the entire gym to stop and look at me.

"Well, you did say that you were sick of Adrianne…" Alice said dryly, her eyes dancing with mischief and delight as she saw the murderous look that I could feel forming on my face.

"Just try not to damage the face…I've kinda like his nose where it is…I want my mom to see all his good points when we meet up in Vegas." Rose called after me with a dark chuckle, as I stormed towards the practice ring which Carlisle and Emmett were now climbing out of.

Carlisle had been asked to take part in the Emergency Service's Charity Boxing Tournament. He had started boxing seriously, during our time apart, he had won the middleweight title for the Met three years in a row, losing out on a fourth consecutive title by one point to a slimy policeman from Clapham, who still loved to brag that he had been the one to take Carlisle down. I had only found this out, after I demanded Jasper tell me why half the SCI, not to mention the rest of Rox Hill police station were giving me funny looks, whilst finding all sorts of weird and wonderful excuses to talk to Carlisle, in turn making him look at me like I'd caught him with his hand in the cookie jar.

The competition had not been held over the last few years for one reason or another, but had been reinstated this year and Rox Hill police station and it seemed half the Metropolitan Police Force, judging by the comments made my officers from the different stations, whom we had met at various crime scenes over the last few weeks, had been desperate for Carlisle to strap on the gloves once more. But they, like Carlisle, had been worried that I would use my not inconsiderable influence to stop him. There was part of me that wanted to, Carlisle fighting at work, on the street was one thing, but seeing him step into a ring by choice and be hit…hurt…was another. However, that frightened little voice had been drowned out by a louder one that reminded me, that it was for a good cause, that I had taken up a very physical, violent type of street fighting during our separation in an attempt to control my own aggression, and that Carlisle had a great team around him. Jasper, unknown to everyone but Alice and Carlisle had been scouted for the Olympic Boxing Team, both English and American in his early twenties. And best of all, Carlisle had his own little 'Mickey', a tiny little Irish man by the name of Danny Whelan, who had been a sergeant in Embry's old army medical unit.

Danny didn't say much, and when he did speak, it was hard to understand all of what he was saying thanks to his machine gun style speech pattern and broad Irish accent, but he said enough to reassure me that Carlisle had real talent and that he'd make him fitter, sharper and faster than he ever had been. And Danny was a man of his word.

Carlisle already had an amazingly fit and toned body, but after a few weeks with Danny, his chest and stomach became even harder and more defined. Which in turn meant, that his work shirts and casual T-shirts clung to him in a way, that had me literally sitting on my hands to stop myself from touching or stroking him, and had other women unashamedly ogling and drooling over him.

_We had been at a Security Council meeting a couple of weeks ago but had snuck out early and gone for lunch on the roof terrace of Harvey Nicholls. The view was breathtaking and the food truly delicious, my appetite had quickly disappeared however, when two giggly women who had obviously washed down their egg white omlettes and lone salad leaves with a couple of bottles of wine, kept 'accidently on purpose' banging into the back of Carlisle's seat on their way back into the restaurant and the toilet. Being a gentleman and totally oblivious, Carlisle stood and moved his chair every time, giving them a good view of his chest and firm thighs another perk of his new regime. I had grinned and bore it, until one of the shameless bitches, who had already been past twice had actually 'stumbled' so far Carlisle had, had to put out a hand to stop her ending up flat on her face. Instead of thanking him and hurrying off in embarrassment, she had stood and rested his hand on his chest! _

"_You should really let me have your number…" he had growled, tipping his aviator shades a little further down his nose and looking at her intently over the top. She had almost fainted, whilst I, had almost choked on my drink._

"_My brother is a Doctor…I'm sure he'd know someone that can help you with your little problem…" he said kindly._

"_My…my what…I don't have a problem…" she had squeaked._

"_I know it's embarrassing…but bladder weakness is very treatable these days…" he had said._

_I had been unable to speak without laughing for nearly half an hour afterwards. We had finished eating and I had dragged Carlisle downstairs to buy him some new shirts._

"_MAE! It wasn't that funny…and I had to do something before you…damn these buttons are small…" he had grumbled through the curtain. Casting a quick glance around for any assistants, I pushed the curtain aside and slipped into the cubicle. _

"_Before I reminded them with a totally childish and un-ladylike display of public affection, that this…" I had begun, spinning him round, and letting both hands slip beneath his partly buttoned shirt and roam over his torso " you…belong to me…and whilst I don't mind them looking…anyone who touches…is in real danger of having their hands ripped off…" I had offered with a growl before crashing my lips to his and claiming his mouth fast and rough in a scorching kiss._

The level of fitness that Carlisle and I had to maintain for our jobs meant that we both had good stamina in the bedroom, which was just us well considering how intense and passionate our lovemaking could become. But since he had had started his fitness and endurance work, Carlisle had raised the bar.

_I had arrived to collect Carlisle from training one night, to find him still working out with a jump rope. He was bare chested, wearing only a pair of black shorts and his boxing boots, he had his back to me and hadn't seem to notice that I'd arrived, so holding onto the swinging heavy bag for support, I decided to enjoy the view._

_My eyes were transfixed by the sight of the hard, firm muscles of his shoulders and back rippling beneath his sweating skin. I remember following the path of one particular bead of sweat as it moved over ridges of his shoulders, before slipping down his spine and beneath the band of his shorts where it would get to run over his firm ass. I swallowed hard, to stop the deep moan I could feel building in my throat from escaping. Seconds later, as Carlisle began to increase his speed, grunting with the effort, I found myself having to rub my jean clad legs together in a desperate search for friction as I became overwhelmed with need for him. For nearly five minutes, the only sounds in the quiet gym were those made by the rope slicing through the air, Carlisle's steady, but heavy breathing and my heart pounding in my ears. He finally increased his speed before slapping the rope down with a flourish._

"_Impressive…" I said quietly._

"_Well, I thought, seeing as you were intent on staying back there…I should give you something to look at…" he replied lowly, still not turning to face me, but walking forward to the retrieve his towel and water bottle from the edge of the training ring._

"_Well…the view was pretty good from back here…" I said walking towards him. He was now leaning back against the rings corner post. "How did you know I was there?" I asked coming to stand in front of him. He smirked _

" _I smelt you…" _

_My surprise at his words must have shown on my face._

"_No darling…" for some reason his accent had become incredibly proper and English at that moment, it was so at odds with his physical appearance and as hot as hell. "You have to be a little closer…" he had said pulling me flush against his body. We both moaned softly at the contact. "for me to be able to smell that particular…intoxicating scent." He growled as he bent his head and began lightly kissing and sucking on my neck, wrapping my arms round his shoulders, I tilted my head to give him more access. "I smelt your perfume love…it cuts through some of the less pleasant odours that linger in the air here…" he said with a soft chuckle._

"_Smells great in here to me…" I purred, lowering my head and allowing my tounge trace up his neck, whilst taking deep breaths of Carlisle's scent which had become even more manly and intoxicating with the addition of sweat._

"_Oh Christ Mae…I need you so badly…" Carlisle had moaned, sounding almost pained. I had felt his semi arousal pressing against me as we had kissed and talked, but within seconds it seemed to become steel hard. His hands were beneath my light sweater, caressing over my stomach as he forced it upwards. Without thinking, I raised my arms._

"_Where's…where's Danny and Jasper?" I breathed in between hot, messy kisses._

"_Pub…down the road…talking tactics…back…soon to…lock…up…" he moaned as he began laving the top swell of my breasts with his tounge and his thumbs began caressing my nipples through my bra._

" _Well…I guess that…puts me…in charge…of keeping…your morale…up…" I moaned, allowing my hands and nails to roam roughly over his back, slip beneath the band of his shorts to knead his ass, before moving round to the front to take him in my hand._

"_Mae…god…please…I need to be…I need to be inside you…" Carlisle had whimpered, his fingers trembling with need as he struggled with the snap of my jeans. I pulled his face to mine, holding it in my hands. His eyes were dark and hooded with lust, but I could still see him struggling with being so demanding of me. _

"_Stop talking…and take me…" I had growled._

_My jeans and his shorts had disappeared, and the next thing I knew he had lifted me up and spun me round, so I was leaning back against the padding of the rings corner post, with his hands splayed protectively over my back as my legs had wrapped round his waist._

_He had been harder than I had ever felt him, as he had thrust into me. My arms had tightened round his neck as my body arched towards his mouth, which was still roaming over my neck and breasts and I began grinding down against his thrusts. This had not been about making love, this had been about lust and need, there had been no words, just the sound of skin on skin, sighs, wanton moans and finally after a few minutes of deep thrusts and teasing, the sound of our loud, almost animalistic cries as my slick walls had clamped down hard around him milking his own orgasm from him, as I tumbled noisily over the edge into my own._

_Carlisle had buried his head in my shoulder for a long moment, as we both tried to compose ourselves, when he looked up his eyes had been soft and apologetic._

"_Don't…" I said placing my fingers over his mouth. "that…was one of the hottest things we have ever done…and we have done a few damn hot things…" I had chuckled breathlessly._

"_That is true…but as conflicted…as I feel about just…"_

"_fucking me?" I offered. Carlisle's eyes had flashed with lust at my words. "I was going to apologize because…I need more…I need you again Mae…you smell…feel so damn good and I…I can't do all this abstaining shit…the tension of the training…work…you looking so damn sexy that all I want to do, is bury myself inside you for hours…days, that is when I'm not tasting you and making you come hard all over my tounge of course." _

"_Of course…" I had squeaked, hearing those words, in his still very proper accent had sent a tidal wave of need and heat straight to my core. And they seemed to hasten his recovery as well. I could feel him starting to harden inside me again._

"_How…how long have…the others been gone?" I had stammered._

"_Nearly an hour…I think…" he had said, glancing back over his shoulder at the clock on the wall behind us. It had been eight thirty._

"_Said they'd be back at nine…"he said._

"_Just enough time for us both to cool down a little…time to hit the showers champ…" I had purred. It was crazy, they could have been back at any moment, but I had been in as much of an all consuming lust haze as Carlisle at that moment. But Carlisle bless him, had thought I had _

_The showers were a row of separate little tiled stalls, that were very clean and well kept. Carlisle had carried me, which was just as well, m legs had lost all feeling thanks to the intensity of the orgasm I had just had._

_The feel of the cool tile against the overheated and sensitive skin of the front of my body, combined with the heat of water and Carlisle's body pressed against my back, had almost been enough to come apart there and then. Carlisle had pressed on my shoulder to try and get me to turn round the face him. I had looked back over my shoulder at him._

"_I've said it before, and it looks like I'll have to say it again…stop talking and take me Carlisle…"_

_His eyes had become as black as pitch as his strong arms had wrapped round me from behind, one slightly roughened hand, gently kneading my breast, whilst the other slipped between my legs, his fingers stroking through my folds._

"_Yessss…oh fuck yes…" I had moaned, my head falling back against his shoulder and my hips grinding back into him._

"_It really turns you on doesn't it Mae? Seeing the men here working out…sweating…their muscles straining…their bodies getting…hard…" he growled in my ear, pulling my hips back and sliding into me in a fluid move…_

"_No…just you…only you…seeing your body…so hard…sweating… ONLY YOU!" I had screamed._

"Mae…remember what I said yeah…he's meeting my mom when we go to Vegas…I need his face in one piece, so he can give her that goofy grin and stop her slapping him when he opens his big mouth and says something stupid." Rose who along with Bella and Alice, had followed me towards the ring and had mistaken the fiery glint in my air for anger instead of lust, said a little anxiously, clearing me out of my lust filled musings. Although Carlisle leaning back against the edge of the ring, his arms crossed across his rippling vest covered chest.

Emmett was too busy laughing at my fierce face, to notice what Rose had said. He reached out a still gloved hand and ruffled the top of my head, before engaging me in a playful sparing session, me growling about how much I hated my name and him calling me it even more. He got a shock however when I slipped under his guard a couple of times and landed a few blows.

"That does it! We're putting Mae in the ring on Friday instead of his Lordship here…" Danny said roughly, jerking his thumb towards Carlisle, who was now looking sheepish. "She landed hands on the big fella faster, harder and more often than yer man here…" he said glaring at Carlisle. "I've been watching this Wolf fella…he's good…so you need to get your head back to where it was for the first three fights boy…if you want any chance of making it through a five round final…" Danny growled as he stomped off.

_Carlisle's first fight had been against a Paramedic from East London, the first two rounds had been fast and tough, by the start of the third and final round, both men were tired and had started the round, by stalking round the opposite sides of the ring seemingly psyching each other out. The noise had been deafening as the gathered spectators from all three emergency services had roared their support._

"_Yep…here it comes…" Jasper crooned happily, just after Carlisle had landed a punch which had split his opponent's lip wide open._

"_The venomizer…he draws blood…then follows up with a series…of punches and jabs that literally cause the guys body to freeze and…fall…" Edward sighed proudly, to Bella as Carlisle unleashed the blows Edward had been describing, and the paramedic had hit the canvas. The noise as Carlisle's arm had been lifted in victory by the referee had been almost frightening it was so loud._

_I had never seen Carlisle look more alive as he did at that minute. He seemed to radiate a power and strength that was almost animalistic. The second fight of the four he was supposed to have, against a fireman had been harder, more bloody, both men really pushing themselves. I was literally watching through my fingers at one point. A now very pregnant Alice however, was on her feet bellowing;_

"_HIT HIM CARLISLE! HIT HIM!...HURT HIM!...GIVE HIM A DOSE OF THE VENOMIZER!"_

_And she wasn't alone. The crowd had started calling for Carlisle to finish the fight and he had, it had just taken him longer than he thought, and he had felt it a hell of a lot more the next morning than he had done the previous fight._

"_Where does it hurt baby?" I had crooned as I cam_e _to sit on the edge of the tub he was soaking in his head leant back on a folded small towel._

"_Everywhere…I know it's not broken, but my nose is killing me…" he moaned not bothering to open his eyes. I had then leant over and let_ _my lips lightly brush over the cut and swollen bridge of his nose._

"_Better?" I purred_

"_Much…" he growled, opening his eyes slightly, before pointing to several other spots on his face that were sore, eventually coming to his lips. I had gently feathered his swollen bottom lip with kisses, before sucking gently on his top one._

"_I think…I'm going to have to examine you a little more thoroughly…wouldn't want to miss a particularly sore spot…" I had_ _teased, letting my hand wander down his chest and under the water, whilst dropping my head to lay a couple of light kisses on his shoulders, which I knew where bothering him. He had groaned._

"_Darling…it would be my sensitive male pride that would be hurting most of all, if I attempted to make love to you now…"_

"_There are other ways for me to show you how proud I am…and how much I love you…"_

_Although, to hear the deep long moans that escaped Carlisle a few minutes later, when I began to give him a full body massage, anyon_e _listening would have thought we had been screwing each other's brains out. Which was what we had done after Carlisle's third fight. It had been a rough week at work, we were both tired and had argued loudly and publicly about the best way to handle a case. The tension from that, plus the fact it had been a points decision that Carlisle had only just, won had seen us ripping at each other's clothes and me riding him hard on the back seat of the Mercedes._

Carlisle was quiet on the way home from the gym and for the next few days, but I knew this time there was nothing I could really say or do to r help him apart from listen. It was a time of firsts in our marriage, for, as well as it being the first time I had seen him box, it was also the first time I was going to experience a little of his other life as Lord Cullen. I just wished as did everyone else, that the two worlds didn't have to collide on the same day, the day of the final.

"Frank…why didn't you tell me that Lord Crossbourne was speaking before me? You know I'm in hurry tonight!" I heard Carlisle bark rudely.

"Here we are Lady Cullen." Frank, the man who was responsible for running Carlisle's small office at the House of Lords, said with a small smile, as he held the heavy door to the office open for me.

"Please Frank, its Mae…and does he always talk to you like that?"

"Mae…it's taken me years fifteen years, to get him to call just call me Carlisle, not that it lasted very long… and no I'm not always such a brat…am I Frank?" Carlisle teased as he emerged from the small en-suite bathroom in a track suit. He leant against the front of the large ornate desk, one leg crossed over the other, arms folded across his chest.

"No sir…you're no worse than your father was when he first inherited his title…and I did not know until after you'd left for the chamber about Lord Crossbourne…and as much as we both wish it was your father…Lord rest his soul, sitting in here and out there, it's not…it's you, you are Lord Cullen of Harrowview now, and I will address you as such." Frank huffed as he moved quickly round the room tidying papers and attending to the impressive, but incredibly hot and heavy robe Carlisle must have flung off as soon as he got through the door. "And if I may say sir…" he began again suddenly, in a small, shy, voice. "I'll do so with great pride…your speech was excellent…your father would have been very proud…" Frank said roughly over his shoulder, as he disappeared through a small door in the opposite wall with the heavy red robe.

"Thank you Frank! He didn't believe me, thought I was biased…" I called after the small, sprightly grey haired man as I moved to stand in front of Carlisle. He rested his hands lightly on my hips

"As you should be your Ladyship…" Frank said with a small smile as he returned empty handed. "But, I thought your put across the Houses' opposition to the Government's planned cuts in Medical research clearly, concisely, but knowledgably and with just the right amount of passion…"

"Carlisle…it's not your fault that the new Government has gone crazy, and decided to try and cut money from one of the places where it's needed most…I mean in the long term…Medical research will save the National Health Service and in turn the Government, millions…billions…" I exclaimed.

"I think you should have given my speech love…it would have been just as knowledgeable, concise and passionate…just a hell of a lot shorter…" he chuckled, gripping me a little tighter.

"Stop it!" I said swatting his chest. "I know how important this is to you…how much you want to help…hate the thought of people suffering…but you can't do anymore…"" I said softly, desperately wanting to kiss him, but not wanting to embarrass either Carlisle or, Frank, who was starting to blush and shuffle nervously. I settled for letting my hand, which was resting on Carlisle's shoulder, sneak up his neck and settle in the hair at the nape of his neck. This was the first time I had been to the House of Lord's since Carlisle and I had been back together, we had called in a couple of times to see Aro, usually holding court in the bar. But this was the first time I had seen Carlisle in all his finery, dashing, distinguished, regal…powerful…sexy as hell... couldn't decide which was the best way to describe him, so had decided to use them all. And it was also the first time I had seen him in the chamber speaking. He had been writing and rehearsing his speech at home, but to see him surrounded by his peers in all senses of the word and seeing them hang on his every word, genuinely interested, had made me so damn proud. I had wanted to tell everyone in the public gallery, including the old men who'd fallen asleep, that "That's my husband speaking". Instead, I had confided in the wife of one of the sleeping men, who had apologized most profusely when he had began to list to one side and had almost ended up with his head on my shoulder.

"Finally…" Frank sighed. "A lady truly worth of you…and the title…speaking of which…I have those investiture forms for you sir…" Frank said suddenly, hurrying over to his own smaller, neater, desk in the corner of the room and retrieving a file which he presented to Carlisle.

"Please don't look so worried love… but this is necessary paperwork, they register your name with the House as Lady Esme Cullen…"I opened my mouth to protest at him using my hated full first name, but was stopped, by Frank saying fondly;

"My mother's name was Esme."

I smile tightly at him. I saw Carlisle; bite down hard on the inside of his cheek, as he saw exactly what was going through my mind in my eyes.

Carlisle coughed to try and clear the laughter from his throat.

"They don't mean you have to join committee's or, become one of the 'Lady's who lunch'." Carlisle said.

I saw Frank shudder at the last words.

"It simply allows you free parking, access to the bars, restaurants, the gym and the executive bathrooms." Frank said seriously, but I saw a twinkle in his eye as he said the last item.

"You had me at free parking Frank you charmer you." I teased. But my smile soon faded.

"What about Jane?" I whispered.

"She will now become the Right… Honourable Jane Cullen." Frank said, spitting the words out with an almost comical look of distaste on his face.

"That's a demotion right?" I queried. Carlisle nodded.

"Frank…" Carlisle began, but didn't have to finish as Frank had silently left the room. Carlisle tightened his arms round my waist and rested his chin on my chest so he could look up into my face.

"Talk to me." He said quietly.

"Do I have to sign now? I really do want to be Lady Cullen…well I don't want a title…well I do…I mean…OHH!" I said in desperation as I tripped over my words. I tipped my forehead down to his and held his face in my hands. "I am desperate to officially shout it out to the world, that I Esme Frances Cullen am your wife…I've already put the paperwork in to get Cullen added onto all my official work ID's and documents…even though, Mae Marshall Cullen does sound more like a firm of solicitors than a law enforcement officers name…"I chuckled softly. Carlisle's eyes were full of excitement and love as he took in my words. "But this, the whole Ladyship thing… only use it in your charity work…"

"Or if I'm trying to get a decent table in a…"

I placed the fingers of one hand over his lips to silence him.

"I want to be able to stand…proudly…by your side as Lady Cullen when you do that, and hopefully sometime in the future I might be able to do some charity work of my own…"

"And I would stand beside you just as proudly my love…" he said against my fingers.

"I know…" I said unable to resist the urge to brush his lips gently with my own, as I became a little overwhelmed by the love in his eyes and pride in his voice. "But…and I know, I'm a coward with my head in the sand. But there's been a wedding notice in the Times, the bans have been read at the church…the two biggest gossips in the village, not to mention people who she considers her friends have received and RSVP'd to the wedding invitations with really lovely letters of support…and she hasn't reacted. According to Edward, even when he's tried to goad her into saying something, there's been nothing…I know it won't last, especially as we get closer…but we've been so happy these last few months, crazy busy, but really happy…and I don't want to lose that yet…the only thing I want to worry about is getting you through tonight in one piece, and seeing you wipe that smug smile of that slimy…DI Wolf's face… he beat you by one point last time…one freaking point…it's time the creep finally learnt the definition of the term 'lucky punch.'" I said so fiercely, Carlisle chuckled. But his smile had faded as his eyes settled on the clock by my side on the desk. Frowning, I turned to see.

"OH…FUCK!" we moaned in unison. The final was due to start in ten minutes.

"FRANK!"

"Sir…" he said reappearing as quickly as he had left.

"We are…"

"both under arrest for inciting my wife, to commit grievous bloody harm with intent to cause major injury and permanent deafness on me and anyone else in her vicinity…" Jasper growled as he followed Frank through the door.

"The speeches overran…" Carlisle said lamely grabbing his bag.

"You're lucky, so did ours…that made the two exhibition matches run late and means with the help of the very fast police car complete with siren, I have waiting outside, you should just make it in time and stop me having to arrest Alice for assaulting a senior police officer and Federal Agent. What the hell made you think it was a good bloody idea to teach her the venomizer?" Jasper growled at Carlisle. I had remembered that fun little session. Alice was already quite fit, so the gentle stretches and exercise she had done that day posed no threat to the baby and Jasper and Edward as always, watched her like a hawk, she had just enjoyed joining Rose and I working out and teasing the boys . Danny had christening her 'Whirlwind Whitlock," when she had let loose a flurry of quick little punches on the pads that he had been teasing her with. The quiet, often rather sad looking little man spoke more and laughed more in those two hours than we had ever heard. The little pixie had enchanted him just as she had done the rest of us, and the two of them had developed a sweet bond over the last couple of weeks. When Alice had begun to suffer quite badly from backache and sciatica in her leg, Danny had given Jasper specific instructions for exercises and a lotion that could help her. But what had surprised us all, was seeing gruff little Danny tear up when Alice had blown into training waving a 4-D scan photo of baby Whitlock, who as we had all teased Jasper, was going to be a girl. Danny had laid a rough, knarled hand gently on her stomach and quietly whispered a blessing in Irish for health, wealth and happiness, declaring that with a mother like Alice, she already had the beauty part sorted out. And it wasn't only Alice the old man was becoming close too, I had walked in on several of his and Jasper's "tactic" planning sessions, to hear the tail end of conversations about life, love and Jasper's fears about being a good father. I knew he and Alice made a dutiful but brief trip back to Texas once a year, and they exchanged cards and e-mails, but they both needed the type of comfort that only someone older, who had lived though it could give you. Carlisle, Edward and I had that with Sue and more recently Embry, who wedding apart, was becoming a more and more important part of our lives. We were glad that Alice and Jasper were finding that in Danny.

"Jazz…she's six months pregnant!" I scoffed.

"Try telling that to Jake! Emmett AND Edward were, having to help him up off the floor when I left. She is a waddling little weapon of mass destruction, primed and ready with some freaking crazy hormones…now move…" Jasper barked.

"Frank…we didn't have time to sign these now…and it might be awhile so…"

"I'll take care of it sir…best of British with Mrs Whitlock and the fight."

We had entered the dressing room at the venue, to see Alice pacing one way, whilst Danny paced the other, both muttering to each other as they passed one another. Whilst Danny began barking tactics at Carlisle, Alice had literally been ripping his tracksuit off of him, revealing the Met's colours which he was fighting in.

"Make it worth the wait Cullen." She had snapped, slapping his chest lightly, before yanking him down by the straps of his vest to kiss his cheeks noisily twice. "One from me, one from bubba…" she explained.

"Well it certainly wasn't from me…" Jasper teased as he grabbed things that he would need to work Carlisle's corner.

"Thank you sweetheart…" he said patting her bump tenderly, making my heart spasm painfully with love for him.

"Now…be safe…but the venomizer beginning of the third would be good…Momma and baby have their eyes on the new Marc Jacobs bag…it's an investment piece…" Alice huffed when we all laughed at her shameless use of the baby to justify her shopping.

Danny and Edward were fussing round Carlisle, taping his hands before they laced on his gloves. And I was determined not to let Jane get into my head now, I wanted to do as I said, and focus on getting Carlisle through this fight and to do that, I had to ask;

"Can he handle the extra two rounds Danny?" I asked, hoping the anxiety in my voice wasn't too obvious. We had been busy at work and Carlisle had not been getting as much sleep as he should have due to working on the speech he had just given.

Danny took a minute to observe Carlisle, his heavily lined face screwed up in concentration.

"If he has too yes…but I don't want to risk it…you're tired boy…these are tired…" he growled, slapping Carlisle's legs roughly. Carlisle didn't argue.

"He's a senior policeman…a Lord of the realm and he slaps him around, and treats him like a naughty school boy…it's great" Edward chuckled, earning an enthusiastic nod from Jasper who looked like he enjoyed Danny's attitude as much as he did.

" To me, he's just another fighter…and I'll do and say, what I have to stop the big lump getting his stupid thick head knocked off…" Danny growled.

"Does that include sending Mae to do a Tonya Harding on him…?" Alice chuckled.

The room was silent, I think I was the only one breathing…noisily.

"What happened?" Carlisle asked quietly, his eyes locked on me.

"Nice timing Al…" Jasper growled.

"It is actually, Carlisle's not up to five full rounds, telling him will finish the fight early." Alice said defiantly.

"Yeah, but I think people were hoping for a fight that lasted longer than thirty seconds." Edward said grimly. He didn't know what had happened, but it was as if he had read my mind.

"Would someone mind telling me what happened?" Carlisle asked in a quiet tone that was even more frightening than if he'd been shouting.

"The other day…when Jasper and I went over to Wolf's patch…we were coming out of the main bedroom, the crime scene…it was a really narrow door and hallway…" I said, my eyes begging Jasper to back me up which he did, by explaining how Emmett had had to take elimination samples from himself, as the corridors and rooms were so small and narrow, his wide bulk had left traces everywhere. Carlisle had nodded, but I could see in his eyes that he wanted details and now.

"He groped her ass…with both hands!" Alice huffed.

Carlisle's eyes, which were large and black with fury, emphasized just how pale he had gone as he had taken in her words. He released me from his gaze momentarily, to look at Jasper, who raised his hands as if warding Carlisle off.

"By the time I heard, Wolf was crying like a little girl and wondering if he'd ever be able to father children." He said defensively.

" Edward, can you go and find out what the hell is taking so long, whilst Jasper and I go and check that meladdo's entrance music is ready." Danny said in a voice that brokered no argument. Jasper's firm hand on Alice's shoulder gave her no choice but to leave with them.

"You should have told me…" Carlisle said lowly, he was sitting on the edge of a portable physio couch and instead of looking at me, he gazed down at his feet.

"I know…I'm sorry…but you were already so stressed…"

"Apart from the professional ethics…YOU ARE MY WIFE…" he bellowed, causing me to jump back a little.

"But I am not helpless Carlisle!" I shot back on the defensive. "I dealt with it…"

"You shouldn't have had to…it is my job to look after you."

"And how would you do that from inside a prison cell? At least in the ring you can batter him senseless without the risk of being arrested…" I snapped.

"FUCK MAE! I'm never there…I'm never there when you need someone…or if I am there…I'm fucking useless…" he raged bitterly

There it was. His anger at not being able to be there for me when I was under threat from Jane and Julian. I walked forward, nudging his knee aside so I could stand between his legs. I held his face in my hands to make him look at me.

"So it hasn't been you there holding me, talking to me, loving me when I've woken screaming in the middle of the night with nightmares…it won't be you there by my side when we face Jane?" I said roughly.

"That's different…"

"Oh right…not caveman enough for you? Well Carlisle…if you really have to prove your husband credentials by pounding on someone…please…please…do it in the ring. Turn his ugly face into mincemeat…humiliate him that way…preferably end of the second…I've got a bet with Em…I have to watch a "World's Most Grizzly Animal Attacks" marathon…if I lose." I explained, tipping my forehead against his. He grinned. He knew I could deal with death and destruction but things like that made me gag.

"I just want to take care of you…try and show you a small fraction of the love you show me…" he sighed.

"And you do my darling…every day…" I replied, praying that he could see that I meant every word.

There was a hesitant knock on the door. It was an anxious looking Alice.

"It's time." She said solomly.

"Walk with me…" Carlisle said quickly.

"What? I thought you had to focus…" I said.

"Oh…I know exactly what I need to do…" he said savagely.

"Go on Mae… Wolf has a couple of bimbo's walking in with him…show the bum the meaning of the word class…" Alice said excitedly. If her six month bump wasn't so heavy, I could see she would have been leaping up and down, instead I could see her body vibrating.

"Look at me?" I whined. I was still wearing the smart trouser suit I had worn to the House of Lords to listen to Carlisle's speech, earlier in the evening. Alice moved like lightening, a comb and small compact appearing out of nowhere. She ran a comb quickly through my wavy hair, which was loose and brushing my shoulders, before quickly giving me a quick coat of face powder.

"You look great love…please…" Carlisle said, smirking slightly but with soft eyes. He knew the combination would be too much for me to refuse, and before I even realized what had happened, I was outside in the corridor listening as Wolf entered from the other side of the ballroom, to the strain of Duran Duran's "Crazy Like a Wolf." Carlisle had entered to various pieces of music chosen by Emmett. Tonight, he entered with Jasper and I flanking him, to the sound of Jay Z's 'Run this Town'.

The final was being held in the large ballroom of an exclusive London Hotel. The large ring in the centre, which had hosted some exhibition matches earlier in the evening, was surrounded on all sides by smaller dining tables that various senior emergency service officers, politicians and a few minor celebrities were seated around. The rest of the tables were taken up by ordinary emergency service staff who had clubbed together, and come to enjoy a rare chance to get dressed up and "see how the other half live" as Jake had put it.

The walk seemed endless and slightly intimidating, as people had risen to their feet and were pressing forward against the tapes that cordoned off the aisle en-masse.

"FUCK! Look at him…he looks seriously pissed." I heard someone say

"How can you tell? He always looks like that to me!" someone answered. Jasper sniggered and out of the corner of my eye I saw the edge of Carlisle's lips twitch. Carlisle was a firm, but fair and very friendly boss, once you had proved yourself and gotten to know him. Till then, he could be tough and intimidating, especially when he had his 'hunter's face' on, devoid of all emotion apart from the focus and danger glinting in his eyes.

Carlisle had bought all the tables behind his corner for our friends and the rest of the team. And as we approached the ring, I saw that they had been pushed together to form one long table, which had the now slightly tatty **TEAM CARLISLE** banner Emmett and Jake had made strung across the front. DI Wolf's team, had something similar going on, on their side of the ring but their banner had a large wolves head painted on it. At the steps of the ring, Carlisle turned and kissed me, it was short but still managed to take the breath from my lungs and make my knees weak.

"You're boy best be ready to start howling the blues boys…" I heard Emmett crow loudly, earning jeers and answering cat calls from the other side of the room.

"Em…stop, the fight in the ring is going to be bloody enough…I don't want it starting out here too" I called as I approached my seat near Alice

"We're only messing Mae…we're all one big happy family really…" he said, earning sarcastic sniggers from me and the rest of the team as he used the words I had used.

"Looks like Carlisle is going to give our Mr Wolf a practical lesson in crime and punishment." Alice cackled wickedly, as we saw the two men touch gloves in the centre of the ring and Carlisle almost send Wolf shooting back across the ring with the force of his touch.

"Okaaay, not that it's not exciting, and I know he and this guy have history, but would someone please explain why Carlisle has gone all De Niro in Raging Bull for what's supposed to be a charity match?" Bella asked.

_Two days earlier, a drug deal involving some pretty big players that had ended up going violently wrong, meant that Jasper and I had had to cross over to DI Wolf's territory. Something that Jasper wasn't thrilled to do as he had had a falling out with their DCS La Push, a few years ago after he had been forced to report him over his poor handling of a murder case. It had soured relations ever since. As we expected, the trash talk about the fight had started in earnest. Wolf was a good looking guy, but he knew it, radiating arrogance and conceit and smugness. I had managed to keep him at bay, until we had been coming out of one of the rooms in the flat where the deal had taken place. The doorway and hall were narrow and instead of waiting to let me thro_ugh, _he had insisted on trying to squeeze through behind me, gripping my ass with both hands! He had then proceeded to lean forward and whisper in my ear, something that had literally had me vomiting into my mouth. Emmett had been coming out of an opposite room at the same time, he had seen what was happening, but didn't have time to do anything, before I reached behind me, and after a long moment of trying to find them, had crushed Wolf's balls._

"_Problem Mae?" Emmett had asked innocently._

"_Nope, do you have a problem DI Wolf? I asked the man who was now, half crumpled in the doorway behind me._

"_Nooo." He moaned._

"_Nope, there's no problems…we're, just one big happy crime fighting family." I had growled._

"Creeps like him, they're not frightened by official channels…they can usually talk their way out of things…and that makes them think they're invincible…" Rose said roughly.

"Believe me babe…if Royce was here now…he'd find out pretty damn quick that he wasn't…and he wouldn't be able to do much talking with a broken jaw and no teeth." Emmett growled, draping an arm protectively round Rose's shoulder. Royce had been the senior doctor in the lab where Rose had done her pathology residency, he had subjected Rose to three months of sexual harassment before she had found the courage to report him. Only to have him talk himself out of it by declaring that because of her hearing and the shyness that resulted from it, she had read more into his "friendly" intentions.

"Okay …so how much is it turning you on right now, knowing that Carlisle is about to pound a guy into the canvas to defend your honour?" Alice asked.

"More than it should…" I admitted honestly.

"It's not big…it's not clever…but sometimes as Rose said…there are some guys…that have to learn manners the hard way…" Bella said rubbing my arm comfortingly as she saw my confusion at my emotions.

But for the first round, it looked like defending my honour or even touching Wolf was the last thing on Carlisle's mind. When he wasn't dancing round the outside of the ring, he was standing and taking the flurry of heavy blows that Wolf was raining down on him, hitting back and defending himself just enough to stop him from being badly hurt or disqualified. The crowd on Team Carlisle's side of the room were on their feet screaming encouragement and strings of expletives, the supporters on Wolf's side were literally howling with delight.

"They do this…to psyche out his opponent…weirdo's…" Emmett bellowed, over the noise which was so loud we barely heard the bell signaling the start of the second round.

"VENOMIZER! VENOMIZER! VENOMIZER!" I heard Alice start chanting beside me.

"Alice!" I hissed "What about showing some class?" I demanded.

"VENOMIZER! That was then…this is now…pregnancy hormones are a bitch!" she yelled. Emmett boomed with laughter before joining her in her chant. Within seconds, the whole table, including Bella was chanting and banging on the table, calling for Carlisle to finish Wolf with the Venomizer. It quickly spread further back on our side of the room and I even saw the Deputy Commissioner of the Met, banging his glass on the table in support. Wolf's side began to increase their sound as well.

Edward suddenly appeared in front of the table. He kissed Bella before turning to me

"Mae…come on…he's going to do it…he'll want you there when it's over…" he said quickly.

I reached the side of the ring to see Carlisle land heavy, hooking shots to each side of Wolf's thankfully protected head, which sent him reeling, before ruthlessly pounding on his mid section. Wolf was as strong and fit as Carlisle however and managed to stay on his feet and land a few defensive blows back on Carlisle, that stopped Carlisle from landing the first of the venomiser's combination of punches. He staggered back slightly towards us in the corner.

"FINISH HIM BABY! HE HAD BOTH HIS DIRTY PAWS ON MY ASS!"

The words were out of my mouth before I realized what I had said.

That did it. Carlisle shook his head briefly to compose himself, before springing forward. The sight of Wolf's nose exploding beneath Carlisle's hand sent the crowd into a frenzy and had Jasper and Danny linking arms and doing an Irish jig. Seconds later, Wolf folded up on himself and landed with a heavy thud on the canvas.

…EIGHT…NINE…TEN…YOU'RE OUT!" the referee managed to say before the room exploded. I climbed into the ring with the others

Carlisle held out his arm to help a woozy Wolf to his feet, he pulled him into a one armed half hug and I heard him mutter in his ear;

"Touch her again, and I'll put you down permanently dog."

The look on Wolf's face made it quite clear that he had no intention of touching me, or any other women for a long time.

I clung to Carlisle's side, practically exploding with pride as the Deputy Commissioner made his speech and announced that the entire tournament had raised nearly a hundred and fifty thousand pounds for charity. After accepting the heavy gold belt, Carlisle then took the microphone and thanked everyone for their generosity, Danny, Jasper, Edward and the rest of Team Carlisle for their support and encouragement, but this was his last fight in the ring. And that he was saving his energy for ducking the blows I would be attempting to land on him during our fights as a married couple. This had caused the room to explode again, but in laughter this time.

"You had me worried there for a few minutes…" I said to Carlisle an hour later as we were making our way out of the hotel to the car and a private party of Danny's gym.

"Well…you did say, you needed me to put him down at the end of the second so you could win your bet with Emmett…" he replied, looking down at where I was cuddled against his side.

"YOU!...You! I was worried..." I said swatting his chest.

"MAE! OWW! STOP…feeling a little delicate love…" he laughed as he sprang away from me holding up his hands in defense. His body was quite bruised and he had a two stitches in his left eyebrow, but he had been lucky.

"Well…how about we show our faces at the party for half an hour, then go home…where I'll run you a nice hot bath…and then, kiss all your little sore spots better?" I purred.

But Carlisle didn't even have to stay at the party that long. We had just arrived and settled into a conversation with Edward and Bella, when Jasper came hurrying over, his face grim.

"Doc Palmer's been stabbed."

"Has he been at the Absynth again?" Carlisle chuckled grimly. The last time Doctor Palmer the drunken doctor who all the criminals used when they couldn't go to hospital had been stabbed, it was a self inflicted wound caused by his intake of the deadly strong liquer Absynth.

"If only…TC stuck him with a kitchen knife…then called 999 to hand himself in…" Jasper replied running his hand through his hair.

"I know TC wanted a break from all the nagging women in his life…but this…" I said in disbelief.

"Did he say why?" Carlisle asked

"He keeps saying he only wants to talk to you and Mae…" Jasper said.

It looked like Carlisle was going to have to find the strength to fight those extra rounds after all, but this time I'd be in there right beside him.

**AN; So as I said at start, this is only going to be a small case to take us to the showdown and wedding. I'll tie the ends of this chap up and start the build up to Mae v Lady J and the wedding in the next one. The bigger case will come after the wedding and honeymoon. **

**I DO NOT HATE THE WOLVES!LOL! Just the one I created. I thought this would be a different way to use the Wolves v's Vamp's thing that's all**

**And for anyone who doesn't know-Raging Bull is a classic boxing movie**


	17. Chapter 17

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT-Plot is mine.**

**AN; Thank you to all of you, who continue to read, review and list this story. Your support means a hell of a lot. Want to say special hello's and thanks this chap, to the readers who are finding time to read this whilst juggling exams and classes, wishing you all best of luck and I'm so glad if this takes your minds off things for awhile. I know the way I've written this chapter, is probably different to the way you were hoping or expecting, but I really do hope you can find something to enjoy in them and that you get at least a bit of what you were hoping for especially regarding Mae and Lady J in the next chap. I know I said Lady J would appear in this chap, but I just couldn't make her fit sorry. She will be taking one last dramatic bow in the next chap for definite. This chap is the set up to that chap. Special hello to Cullenluv95. These are the other pieces of music Emmett chose for Carlisle's ring walks;**

**1-Won't Back Down-Tom Petty **

**2- Clubbed to Death- Rob Doogan**

**3-Ready for War-50 cent (Mayweather v's De La Hoya Remix) **

**CARLISLE POV Late Oct**

It had been weeks since I had won the Inter Services Championship boxing belt, but as I stepped into the shower, the aching and throbbing in my leaden limbs made it feel like it was only yesterday. Another thing that felt like only yesterday, was holding my Mae in my arms, seeing her eyes dancing with excitement and love as she had discovered the location for our honeymoon, feeling her arms wrap round me and her soft lips press against my own with love and gratitude. But that had been almost ten days ago. Jesus…we had been so happy…how could it have gone so badly, terrifyingly wrong in such a short time?

_After Jasper had told us about TC stabbing Doc Palmer, Mae and I had headed straight to the police station. I had been exhausted, the adrenaline caused by the physical activity and my win had seriously begun to wain, leaving my body feeling heavy and like it had been hit by and repeatedly run over by a bus. But I owed TC and I had wanted to do, everything I could for him, even though we both knew that might not be much. Doc Palmer was not dead, although apparently, from what Jasper had been able to find out from the officer in charge of the case, it hadn't been for the want of trying on TC's part. The fact, Palmer had lived, and that TC had not run and had turned himself in peacefully, openly confessing to his crime, would be counted in his favour, as would the letter I would write the judge detailing the help he had given me over the years. But the Government had just given judges greater sentencing powers when it came to knife crime, and they were being encouraged to use them, especially when it came to offenders with records like TC's. So I had been determined to find out what the hell had pushed TC into doing something so out of character and fucking stupid._

_Mae and I had entered the interview room to find TC, dressed in a white paper suit, sat with his elbows on the table, his head in his hands. We sat and waited. Finally, after a long moment, TC looked up. _

_His face was pale, drawn and his eyes were raw and puffy from crying. But as shocking and unexpected as that had been, it had been the raw devastation in his eyes that had shocked Mae and I the most. TC was a criminal, with a family set up that was made for an episode of Jerry Springer, but it took something truly terrible for him to lose his happy go lucky attitude. _

"_Did you win?" he asked roughly, nodding towards the cut over my eye and the tracksuit I had still been wearing._

_I had nodded, deciding not to push him when he was in such a delicate state. "End of the second." I had said quietly._

" _Although, there were several moments I was convinced he'd be the one on the canvas being counted out in the first round." Mae had chuckled softly. _

_I had teased her that I had deliberately, waited until the end of the second to take Wolf out, so that she would win her bet with Emmett. But as much as I loved her, there was no way, I would have subjected myself to the heavy blows and taunts of that mongrel Wolf without a really good reason. Wolf was at the top of end of our weight division and a heavy hitter, but he didn't have the lightness on his feet or the stamina I did, even when I was as tired as I had been that night, so Danny wanted me to take as much as I could to make him tire himself_

_out. Danny had also suggested, that I make it clear before the fight started that I knew about what he had done to Mae…and what she had done to him. Jasper had explained that Mae leaving Wolf seriously worried about his future ability to father children, after she had managed to locate his balls was the reason he hadn't involved himself in the situation. And as angry as I had been, I agreed. Taking Danny's advice, which hadn't steered me wrong so far, I made a few comments to Wolf, which saw him start to lash out in temper and fear. By the start of the second round, the crowd had started screaming wildly and I had responded, but as tired as Wolf obviously was by then, I had still had to fight hard to get the upper hand on him and he had me till Mae had called out. And it had been the gentle yet firm way that Mae had began talking to TC and coaxing information about what had happened from him, that had pulled me from my musings and made me focus on the job in hand._

_She had seen that despite my best efforts to hide it, I was tired and not as clearly focused as I really should be. But instead of trying to take over the situation and sideline me, like a lot of other officers would have done, regardless of my long relationship with TC, she had started the interview and began questioning TC in a way that included me and kept TC calm._

TC was going to be a guest of one of her Majesty's finest correctional facilities for several years, but I hoped that Mae and I had managed to give him some peace and a sense of justice being done for his son to help him serve his sentence.

"_The silly little bastard…what was he doing? He wasn't a bare knuckle fighter!...he was no pussy…" TC had added quickly. "But he was strictly an in the ring fighter, not a street fighter…the muscles on his arms looked like knots in cotton for fuck sake…Alex…my Alex, he was a good boy…he was learning a trade…he was going to make something of himself…the boxing was just a hobby…something to help him keep fit" TC had begun to rant in the desperate, heartbreaking way I had seen too many parents do as they tried to understand and rationalize the unexpected, violent death of a child that they thought they had known so well._

_Alex was TC's eldest child, by his first and most loyal wife Carol. The poor woman had come home from a night shift at the local garage, to find nineteen year old Alex an apprentice plumber dead in his bed. The post mortem report showed he had suffered a ruptured spleen, but it was the broken rib that had punctured his lung, that had killed himbefore the internal bleeding could._

_Whilst the local CID were still taping of the crime scene and dusting for prints, TC and a few friends, using his encyclopedic knowledge of the criminal underworld and the contact list from his son's phone, had begun cruising a few bars, kicking in a few doors and knocking a few heads together. Resulting in him finding out that Alex had started seeing a bored little rich girl called Rachel, who had tastes that ran far higher than Alex's budget. But she had introduced him to a man that could help him make some serious money, bare knuckle fighting and in turn her on and keep her interested._

"_Bobby Costello!" I had exploded when TC had finally told us what had happened, and of the Rachel's connection. I still had the scar on the back of my head from my last attempt to stop Bobby Costello and his bare knuckle fighters. The bastard had got away and fled to his villa in Spain._

"_Junior…Bobby Senior, was found floating at the bottom of his swimming pool at his place on the Costa Del Crime a couple of months back…missing the back of his head."_

"_How sad." I snarled, causing TC to huff a tearful laugh._

"_No it seems junior likes the fights as much as his old man, only junior's going a step further…he's taping the fights and flogging them over the Internet…big sellers apparently, especially the ones where one poor bastard ends up counted out permanently." TC had growled._

"_Snuff movies." Mae had said in surprise_

"_Yeah…slimy little bastard sends scouts around the gyms and competitions, spots the lads with potential, picks out the desperate ones and there are always ones who want to be bigger, faster, hit harder, ones that can't wait and jump at the chance of a little 'chemical enhancement'."_

"_Steroids…are you sure?" I had demanded._

"_Yeah…she'll never stand up in court and say it…but I met a bird called Sadie on the Grenville Estate, her old man is one of Costello's regular boys. Apparently he was a pretty handy looking middleweight, but he did his shoulder in at work. One of the vultures Costello sends round the gyms heard about it gave the lad a "freebie". He was hooked and desperate…Sadie showed me the bloody bottles…and the bruises he's given her for trying to hide them from him." TC had growled. He was far from the perfect man or husband, but like most real men, the thought of physically hitting a woman was not one he would ever contemplate._

"_Well when he's got them hooked, and hyped up crazy shit…he then pits them against homeless guys, drunks…there's been a few immigrants…Poles, Iraqi's…the ones who haven't got the right papers and are doing what they can to make money and get by. It's all on a pay per view web site…my Alex…he never killed no one..."_

"_How does Doctor Palmer come into this?" Mae had asked, cutting TC off from another emotional rant._

"_Well, some of the poor fuckers…when they twig what's happening, they start fighting for their lives…literally…if they put on a good enough show…the sick little fucker lets them live…does the whole Roman gladiator, thumb up thumb down thing…" TC had shuddered. Mae was as tough as they came when it came to the evil we were forced to witness, but she had such a good, loving, compassionate heart, she had paled and shivered in a way that had nothing to do with the cold that wind that was whistling through the room._

"_And the fighters he uses…well they can hardly turn up at the local hospital with some of the injuries they get…Costello gets that drunken old butcher Palmer to fix em up…useless, drunken old soak…" TC had began slapping his own head in frustration as fresh tears began to flow._

"_He told Alex to take a couple of painkillers and a bottle of scotch for the pain in his gut…it was a ruptured bloody spleen…he was bleeding to death! And the…he told him that if he kept his bloody mouth shut and stopped whining…his ribs wouldn't hurt so much…and it wouldn't be so hard to breathe…well I showed him…I showed him what it was like to be gasping for breath… bastard…" TC's emotional, shrill tone dropped to almost a whisper as he finished his rant, making it all the more chilling._

The images on the web site had been truly sickening, but Costello Jnr had been very clever, the site had been created and was routed through servers in Romania, whilst all the financial transactions were routed through at least four dummy companies. And with one witness dead and the other too frightened to talk, we had faced the real possibility of Costello getting away with if not murder, at least manslaughter of TC's son and the god knows how many other "invisible people" who had taken part in his sick little productions.

"_There is more than one way, to skin a scumbag boys…" Mae had said with a dangerous twinkle in her eye._

"_Okay…why is she looking at me when she says that?" Jasper had asked nervously._

_Mae had come up with a two pronged attack to make sure we nailed Costello once and for all._

_Part one involved Danny cruising a few boxing bars, letting it be known amongst his fellow gym owners and trainers, that he had been approached by Jasper, to help him try and make a comeback and be selected again for the Olympic squad. Costello junior was also attempting to move into more legitimate types of boxing promotion and management, so we knew this would be too rich an opportunity for the greedy little bastard to resist. Danny had made sure people knew that Jasper was a good fighter, but his shoulder was weak, which it was. But several people would get a shock later, during the second part of Mae's plan, when they discovered that even after it had been slightly weakened by the bullet he had taken in it, Jasper still had the power to hit like a battering ram. But it was the Jasper, Jake, Mae and I who got the shock, when Alice arrived at Danny's gym, just as one of Costello's men had been making an approach to Jasper!_

_Mae had sprung from our car, as soon as Jake who was parked nearer the gym and had been the first one to see Alice approach had called it in. But we were parked round the corner, ready to tail Costello's man back to the meeting we'd heard him make with Costello on the phone taps we had arranged. And the driver of a sixteen wheeler supermarket delivery truck, had chosen that moment to stall his vehicle and cause an almost immediate, nose to nose tailback that blocked the road. I had seriously thought of arresting the driver, not for what he had done, but for his own safety! I had had to remind Mae to calm down in case we were being watched. It had been a totally in appropriate time, but I had found myself becoming turned on by seeing Mae in full sprint racing down the road, we hadn't been running together in a while, and then in all her fury as she remonstrated with the driver._

_We couldn't risk Jake stopping her, in case Costello's man had a driver waiting outside and Alice reacted as loudly as Alice usually reacted. She wouldn't mean to, but her hormones were making her a little unpredictable, she could have let something slip. We did have Jake follow her inside the gym, just in case. We would find out later that she had been bringing Danny, who she and Jasper were becoming more and more fond of, soup to help him fight the heavy cold that would strike us all at some point over the following few weeks. Jake alerted us that Danny, Jasper and Costello's three thugs were in Danny's small office at the back of the gym. Jake had then been spotted by Pat, one of Danny's trainers, who knew him from his rounds sparing with me during my training. Thankfully Pat knew what was going on, he moved them to a spot where Jake could keep an eye on the office and Alice, under the guise of Jake wanting to sign up._

"_Alice me darling…what are you doing here? You should be putting your feet up in your condition…" we had heard Danny growl through the mikes we had managed to place in key points round the gym. Not wanting to miss any approaches, however innocent that were made to Jasper. But before Alice got a chance to answer, we heard a gruff voices grumbling about 'bloody women'._

"_Let's remember our manners shall we fellas…there is a lady…present…" Jasper had hissed, emphasizing the last word. Mae and I were barely breathing as we listened. Jasper was brilliant undercover, cool, calm and composed, even in even the most stressful situations. But this…seeing Alice and the baby under possible threat, we really didn't know if he could handle it. It turned out that he hadn't had to._

"_Aye, a lady who happens to be my daughter…she's awful protective of her Daddy…worries about me something awful she does…especially when I'm not too well…"_

_Alice, would tell us later, once she had stopped sulking over not being told what was happening, and had settled into loving the excitement , that Danny had sprung from his seat behind the desk, grabbed the soup she was holding, making a joke about putting a nip of whisky in it, and hustled her out all without letting her open her mouth._

_Danny had told us later that one of Costello's men had the tell tale twitches and paranoia of steroid abuse, hearing Alice's accent would have set him off, which would in turn, would have set Jasper off as he tried to protect her and caused a blood bath that wouldn't have got us any nearer to Costello. I had pointed out again to Danny, that he was taking a real risk helping us. He had told me that plastic gangsters like Costello's men didn't frighten him, as nothing they could say or do to him, could cause him any more pain than the pain he had suffered when his pregnant wife had been blown up in a car bomb meant for him, in Northern Ireland thirty years before. Except, something happening to Alice, whom he had begun to care about, almost as much as Alice cared about him._

_We got Costello's men on tape, offering Jasper illegal steroids to help his shoulder, whilst attempting an extremely hostile and violent takeover of Jasper's management. It was good, but I had wanted Costello 'banged to rights' as the old police saying went. I wanted him for the fighting, the snuff movies…because he was father's son. If I hadn't…then maybe…maybe…Mae wouldn't of hurt her hand and then she wouldn't have lost her grip…and she wouldn't be..._

"FUCK!" Mae and I cursed in unison. Me because the water in the shower had become bone chillingly cold and Mae because…

"What is it? What's wrong?" I demanded as I raced out of the bathroom, quickly wrapping a towel round my waist as I went.

"I dropped one of the damn painkillers…I can wait… finish your shower…" Mae replied in a tight voice, which belied her words and told me just how much she needed the medication. I moved round to her side of the bed, bending to retrieve the small white pill I could see buried in the carpet pile.

"I said it was okay…I could wait… stop fussing" she grumbled, wincing as she made to swat my shoulder, but swung too wide and hit the bedpost instead.

"Damn it Mae! You really want me to stop worrying and fussing over you? Then stop acting like a martyr and take the damn painkiller." I snapped, placing the pill firmly in the centre of her palm.

"I can manage…" she hissed as I went to hand her the glass of water from the nightstand.

"Great." I replied tightly. "I won't be long." I said wearily as I turned and prepared to head back to the shower.

"Don't rush on my account…I know I've been a burden this week, the least I can do is let you have a shower in peace…" she sneered.

She's hurt, she's in pain, she's exhausted physically and mentally…she's terrified…I told myself. But so was I.

"I mean that's the least you deserve, after putting up with me and my martyr like behavior all week…maybe I should sleep in the spare room, let you get some proper sleep as well…so you can…"

She just managed to let out a small squeak of shock, before I turned, pushed her back on the mattress, holding her flailing hands gently but firmly above her head with my own, and claimed her mouth a little more roughly than I meant to in a kiss. Her lips were unresponsive for a second, before yielding slightly. Sometimes with Mae and I, actions really did speak louder than words.

"Not nice…attacking the blind girl… whilst you're all wet" she breathed, turning her head away from me after another long moment.

" Mae…you…are…not…going to be blind." I said roughly, using my free hand to turn her face back towards me. I knew the thick white dressings taped over her eyes meant that she couldn't see me, I just hoped she could feel the strength, confidence and love I was trying to give her in my words and actions. We'd talked a lot over the last week, mainly, about how Edward and I were feeling and coping with what had happened, Mae had made all the right positive, strong noises that everyone, me included wanted to hear. But now, with only a hours till the doctor's appointment, where we would see if all they're assurances that Mae's blindness was only temporary were justified, the pain and soul deep fear and exhaustion, both physical and mental, had finally taken the last of her strength and if I was honest…mine.

"You hope…" she said weakly.

"I know…the doctor's you've seen are the best…and I believe them when they tell us that what happened to your eyes…is only temporary…" I said firmly, gently tucking her hair back behind her ear.

" They said it SHOULD, only be temporary…What if it's not?...What if the last thing I ever got to see…wasn't your face…but hers…I don't want to spend forever trapped in the darkness with her Carlisle…I can't…I can't spend forever seeing those eyes…her eyes…I can't…please Carlisle please…I'm sooo… scaaaared…" Mae pleaded, heartbreakingly terrified sobs, causing her body to almost convulse beneath me.

"Tomorrow…tomorrow my darling…tomorrow and the darkness will be gone…she'll be gone…I promise…I promise…" I sobbed, laying down on my side beside her on the bed, and wrapping her up in my arms as I moved her flush against me. Her hands wound there way tightly round my neck and she buried her head in my shoulder clinging to me as she sobbed.

"Tomorrow Mae…she'll be gone…gone for good my beautiful brave girl…and I'll get to look in those beautiful green eyes of yours again my love…I've missed them so much…seeing them sparkle when you laugh, seeing them flash with gold when you are angry…or turned on…seeing them so soft…so full of love…for me…tomorrow…tomorrow…you'll be able to see…see how much I love you…tomorrow…tomorrow…"I crooned mantra style, hoping she couldn't hear too much of the desperation in my voice, as I gently rocked us back and forth.

Thanks to Embry, Mae had seen the best ophthalmologists in the country. The three of them had told us, us that the damage to Mae's eyes and her lack of sight should only temporary. The combination of the debris, the toxicity of the smoke and the bang to the head she took when she fell, had severely irritated and bruised her optic nerves, causing them to swell and her too loose her sight. They had cleaned out her eyes, even blasting them with concentrated bursts of oxygen to try and clear the toxins that had been absorbed. It had taken Emmett and Jasper, to hold me in the corridor and stop me from barging back into the room and dismembering the doctor who was causing Mae to whimper pitifully as she endured the painful treatment four times. But we had to wait for the swelling of her optic nerves to subside before we knew what, if any permanent damage had been done to her eyesight. The doctors said the worse they expected was that she might need glasses but…there was always a chance, a small chance, but a chance, that…that the damage could be worse…

"Car…lisle…" Mae whimpered softly, her grip on me becoming almost painful.

"I'm here sweetheart…I'm right here…I've got you, you're safe…and everything will be alright…she won't…she won't be able to hurt us…anyone ever again…she's gone darling…she's gone…" I whispered roughly, unable to control the unexpected tears that had started coursing down my cheeks.

My mother was dead.

But, for any tears of sadness and grief the little boy in me was crying for the mother he had adored and incredibly there were some, the man, the husband in me was crying a million more angry and bitter ones for the pain and suffering the evil old bitch had caused me, Edward, my father…but more importantly the beautiful, strong, brave woman who lay trembling in my arms thanks to her actions. Jane had inflicted on Mae, horrors that would have seen lesser woman crumble and become emotional wrecks unable to face getting out of bed in the morning let alone, find the incredible courage to face her fears and take a chance on love…on me again. I had been praying all week to any God that would listen, that Mae would be able to find that strength again, that having me with her would be a comfort, and not make her think that she had made a terrible mistake in coming back to me, in marrying me.

Stop it Carlisle…stop…Mae loves you…Mae loves you…Always and Forever…Always and forever…you know this…you know this…Mae won't leave you…she won't. I knew this…I knew this…I did… deep down in my soul…but the dreams. What little sleep I had managed to get over this last hellish, seemingly never ending week had been snatched away from me by nightmares. The apartment being filled with the overflow of wedding things from Alice's house, meant the images of Mae and Jane falling, the sound of Mae's terrified scream as she fell, were often overshadowed by the images of me standing at the altar waiting for Mae, who once again didn't show. Instead, a blank faced solicitor had marched up the aisle serving me with divorce papers from Mae, citing severe emotional and physical- cruelty, as the reason for our divorce.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry Carlisle…I tried to hold her…I really tried…but my hand…my hand…I tried…" she was hiccoughed weakly into my neck.

"I know my love…I know…you couldn't have done more…she didn't deserve it…but thank you my love…thank you…" I whispered dropping light kisses onto her head and any other part of her I could reach, before sitting us up slowly, Mae still wrapped in my arms.

"Think it's time we moved under the covers love…I know the heating's on…but it is the middle of October and I am naked as you said, all wet…in a way, I'm glad you can't see me…the cold is doing me no favours…" I chuckled grimly in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood and stop Mae causing herself more physical pain by crying anymore and irritating her already damaged eyes. Jane had thought more of the damn house and all that went with it than she had done us, I would have let her burn with it. But Mae, I knew that she had been acting out of the compassion, kindness and general human goodness she would have shown anyone in that situation, but I also knew that she had taken the risk she had for Edward and I. Edward Mae and I, had given statements about what had happened that night, but we hadn't discussed them or what they said.

"Love…even at the mercy of the elements…you are still pretty damn impressive…trust me…" Mae chuckled tearfully, seemingly wanting to play along with me, if only for a little while. I helped Mae change into another one of my T-shirts, before drying myself off and pulling on a T-shirt and sleep pants myself. After replacing the wet top cover, I climbed back under the covers and pulled her tightly against my side.

She winced slightly as I took her tightly bound, but still swollen and bruised hand from my chest and brought it to my lips, before laying it on my chest to stop her from crushing it as she moved about in her sleep. She had done it before and woken up whimpering pitifully. I knew that as well as her fear about her eyes, that she was also very worried about the long term effects of her attempts to rescue Jane, would have on the recovery of her already damaged hand and her work.

"_Now I like to do my bit to help the police as much as the next, honest citizen who is not at all bitter, about being treated like he actually was, a member of the group of state sponsored lunatics who were planning to commit treason by assassinating the future King of England, instead of an entirely innocent bystander who happens to have been cursed with the mother from hell." Edward said dryly, making all of us who were part of his surveillance detail laugh, in my case a little humourlessly. I knew that despite his jokes and the wonderful Bella's support and love, Edward understandably, still had some very dark thoughts and feelings about what had happened to him. I knew it wasn't my fault, it was Jane's, but I still couldn't shake the big brother guilt that I had not been able to protect him from that, and maybe more upsettingly, that once again, it had been largely because of me that Jane had acted in the way she had._

"_But I can't help but wonder why, when you were looking for someone to pose as a playboy with an eye for the ladies and a gambling problem, you came straight to me?"_

"_I did try and tell Mae, that it might be a bit of a stretch for you…what with you being such a shy little wall flower that has had so little experience with women." I teased him, much to the audible sthe rest of the team who were not sure whether or not to laugh at our exchange. _

"_But I assured him that you'd manage to struggle through…and that our little wannabe socialite, wouldn't care much about what you have to say…as long as you flashed the cash and she gets to stare at that pretty little face of yours, whilst dreaming of running her hand through your hair a few times…" Mae had then added. Causing Edward, Jake, Jasper, Harris and Tweed to say in unison;_

"_What's with the hair?"_

_But before Mae, Leah and Emily could explain their laughter, Edward had become serious as Rachel had approached him._

"_Be careful little brother…" I had said lowly_. The logical, professional policeman in me knew that none of what happened later was my fault. But the thought that maybe if I hadn't agreed to putting Edward in this situation…

"_Always am…" he replied roughly. "Hi baby…" he drawled. To the little air head he was trying to impress, he would have sounded totally sincere, but I could hear the distain and coldness._

_Mae's plan had been to arrest Costello in the process of making one of his movies. And her way to get us in was to have Edward accidently on purpose run into Rachel, whilst he was flashing the cash from a big win at the casino. The interview transcripts made by the local CID who had first caught the case, and who would end up getting the credit, had confirmed what our own surveillance of Miss Jessica Heath had told us. Her family were relatively well off, city types who left her to be raised by the nanny then appeased their guilty consciences by spoiling her rotten, resulting in her growing up to be a shallow, conceited, manipulative little madam, who enjoyed walking on the wild side, to alleviate the boredom of spending Mummy and Daddy's money. At eighteen, she already had two DUI's, three disturbing the peace and affray charges and of course the obligatory possession of class A substance charge. All of which, had been pleaded out and ended up with her spending a few weeks in a "rehab" facility. And whilst she liked 'roughing it' with bad boys like Costello and Alex, we knew she would drop her very expensive knickers in a heartbeat to land someone with like Edward. We didn't want to risk him using his real name incase Bobby Costello senior or any of his associates had told junior about me and our previous run in. Instead Edward had become a delighted Embry's alter ego, Captain Sir Embry Maxwell. Man about town. We knew Costello wasn't stupid and it had taken a some persuading and promising that Mae and I would attend their new issue launch party, but the editors of De Brett's the guide which listed the names, titles and land owned by all the aristocrats in England, had created a page for Edward under his new name. And it was just as well we had, because two weeks after we had taken this case on, with nothing better to do as she recovered from her third breast enlargement, one of Heath's friends had checked Edward out. Her cold, mercenary weighing up of his potential assets, against the annoyance of him having a gambling problem had bought Jane into my mind so clearly, that I had physically shuddered and spilt my coffee. _

"_Aww, don't worry baby, I won't let the skanky girl attack youwith her scary plastic boobs…" Mae had crooned playfully as she helped me clean up the spilt drink. She had thought that I had been reacting to the truly gruesome images Heath's friend had created earlier in the conversation, when she was detailing how her current boyfriend liked to bury his face and other parts of his anatomy between her truly frightening 40EE breasts._

_It was late, but neither Mae or I, liked to ask the team to do something we wouldn't do ourselves, so we had taken our turn at monitoring the calls of Heath and Costello. We had already heard Costello order one of his heavies to go and 'remind' Doctor Palmer that it would be better for his continued health to keep his mouth shut and not speak to us._

"_Just out of curiosity, you know that guys say that 'anymore than a handful is a waste' when it comes to breasts…do they mean it?" Mae had asked, amazingly sounding a little insecure there to spend much more time extolling the virtues of her amazing breasts._

"_Well I know I do…" I had replied, catching her hand as she had been walking back from the bin, where she had thrown the papers she had used to clean up the coffee, and pulling her to stand between my legs. Her beautiful hazel eyes had been shining with life, amusement and love as she had looked down into my face._

"_You see…" I began, letting my free hand trail up from her hip and over her rib cage, coming to rest, under her breast but not touching it; "really feeling…the soft skin of your breasts beneath my fingers, feeling the soft firmness in my hands as I…knead it gently…" her breath had hitched as I cupped her gently through her sweater. "feeling your…nipples harden beneath my fingers…" I had only meant to tease her a little, but this case, other work, Mae was being called to work on a case for the Feds plus, the surprise she had been working on with Jasper for my birthday, had meant that we hadn't been together in what was only about a fortnight but which felt like so much longer. I had ended up feeling myself becoming uncomfortably aroused as I had teased her. "give me as much pleasure…maybe even more, than it gives you…"I had stammered._

"_I…very much…doubt that…" she had breathed as her hands had begun working through my hair and she had begun rubbing her legs together in search of a little relief that we had both needed. Thankfully, Jake had burst through the door at that moment to take over from us. That night was the last time we had made love before it happened. It had been passionate but a little desperate as we both tried to sate the almost painful physical need for each other. We had both come fast and hard, my head buried in her shoulder. I hadn't seen…I might never again see her eyes flash gold as she reached her peak, before softening into fathomless dark green pools…of love_

"Carlisle…" Mae's small nervous voice pulled me out of reverie. She had lifted her head and rested it on my chest as she looked up at me.

I had to swallow hard, to stop the sob I could feel building in my chest at the sight of her beautiful face looking so pale, drawn and disfigured by the large dressings covering her eyes, from escaping. But over the last week, Mae's other senses had started to compensate a little for her lack of sight and she must have heard me, as her free hand reached for my face. I still couldn't trust my voice, so as her fingers skimmed the corner of my mouth, I held them there to acknowledge I'd heard her.

"My rings…tomorrow, afterwards…I really want to replace them…please…I miss them…it doesn't feel right, I don't feel right…I know the gang will be expecting us…but please…can we do that first?" she asked in an almost childlike voice that tore at my heart and pushed me closer to falling apart myself. Mae's rings had been lost in the fire.

"Of course love…" I managed to stammer.

_Costello's arrogance at the way he had set us his business and the way he had terrified Doctor Palmer into silence, meant that although he had stopped the fights just in case he had been grassed up, it hadn't been for long. It appeared the demand for his sick films was outstripping his supply. But he knew that his fighters wouldn't fight without the guarantee of a least basic medical care, so he had taken the chance on Edward, who according to Jessica Heath had lost twenty grand at a private poker game and was in desperate need of 'funds' to tide him over, till he could get his hard hearted, anally retentive, mean father, who just so happened to be called Carlisle…to reinstate his allowance. He had decided to adopt the persona of someone who had 'done his bit' for his country and was now quite happy to rest on his laurels._

_The team had followed Edward and Jessica to an industrial estate. The security guards, who happened to work for a firm run by a friend of Costello's, had included the pub on the corner in their rounds of the large estate and were nowhere to be seen as cars and people started arriving and heading to a large empty warehouse._

_Jessica had draped herself all over Edward, one hand glued firmly to his arse whilst her tounge, was practically fucking his ear as she simpered into it about how much he was going to enjoy what was about to happen and more importantly what she was going to do to him that night. Heath was a girl who would usually consider a night out a disaster, if she didn't end up with her knickers round her ankles being screwed against a wall by at least one of the many men she usually managed to attract, Edward had managed, with his charm and a sob story about being so stressed about money and wanting to do her justice, to hold her at arm's length physically, only having to endure a little groping and a few drunken, messy kisses. I was hoping the Aston Martin Vanquish, that was currently on order and should be ready by Christmas, would make it up to him._

_Silently, the SCI team and uniformed officers we had as backup, had fanned out round the back and sides of the warehouse, they were all wearing body armour, and carrying weapons. The men and few women who were there that night had after all, come willingly to see a two men literally beat each other to death, they would not as the old police saying went 'come quietly'. _

_As sickening as it was to listen to the 'warm up' fights which although they were fast, the aim was to get your opponent down as quickly as possible and then keep him down, were also, judging by the animalistic howling from the crowd, and Edward's strained voice as he listed the fighters injuries, brutal and very bloody. We could not move in until Costello had announced the main event. Which he did just before midnight, by blasting out "It's a fight" by the three six mafia._

_Mae, Jasper Jake and I were in one of the cars that were going to literally smash through the warehouse's half open doors, sirens blaring. We needed the element of surprise and disorientation to have any hope of taking down these very dangerous men._

"_No heroics..." I said grimly as I looked round the car, my eyes lingering a second longer on Mae. She had given me a brief nod to acknowledge that she had heard what I had said, but she had been concentrating on getting herself mentally ready for the physical threat ahead. Her body had been tense, ready to spring, her face impassive and focused as she quickly tied back her hair and removed her scarf from round her neck, not wanting to give a possible attacker anything to use against her. Despite the cold weather, she had removed her leather jacket and was wearing what I noticed was her "fight outfit" of jeans and a sweater or fitted button down shirt. Clothes she felt comfortable and ease of movement in, she was also wearing her boots with the studding on the side. "Makes it easier to tell which ass kickings were down to me." She had joked when I asked her about it._

_Jake, Jasper and I were also dressed in jeans sweaters and button downs, Jake however had kept his battered old leather jacket on over his vest announcing he thought he was getting a cold._

"_This is Alpha one…all units…GO! GO! GO!" I had barked down the radio. Jasper had actually let out a Yee Ha! As he had put his foot on the gas and raced us towards the doors, slightly behind the uniformed officers riot bus, which was equipped for busting through doors._

_The fight was halfway through the first round when we burst in. As we hoped the unexpectedness of our attack from both the front and rear of the warehouse, had disorientated people and sent them panicking in all directions trying to escape. But it wasn't long before they realized that escape wasn't going to possible without a fight._

_Jake, Mae and I were out of the car before it had stopped moving, Jake and I heading for the stairs that led up to the small glass fronted supervisor's office where Costello ran things and as we had seen in previous video's come and stand to give his verdict on whether a fighter should live or die. Mae waiting for a the split second it took Jasper to ditch the car and join her in apprehending the guy with the camera._

_Costello was sitting behind his desk with another man, watching footage of earlier fights on a lap top when Jake and I entered. Costello had sprung up reaching beneath the desk, for what would turn out to be a machete he had tapped beneath the desk._

_My fist had snapped forward, smashing his nose before I even truly realized that I had done it._

"_Your father was exactly the same…he liked to watch other people fight…but he didn't have a decent punch in him…had to rely on a weapons…" I sneered_

"_oo…da…uck…are…oo?" Costello mumbled through the hands clasped over his nose._

"_Carlisle Cullen…and you don't know how much pleasure it gives me to finally be able to say…Robert Costello…you are nicked…" I had sneered. _

_Jake and I had emerged from the office flanking a cuffed Costello, we had a car waiting at the back entrance to get him into custody as soon as possible. As we expected, the gathered crowd were not making things easy and it was turning into quite a bloody battle to get them under control._

"_FUCK NO!" I heard Jake bellow. My head snapped round to follow his gaze. Leah was on her knees, blood pouring from a head wound. Three things happened in the long moment that followed. Jake took off towards Leah, I began to see stars as someone slipped some sort of cord used in the warehouse, round my neck from behind and Costello took off running. But I couldn't shout or care at that moment, I was too busy fighting to stay on my feet, knowing that if I fell to the floor, allowing my attacker to gain anymore purchase with the cord, I was dead._

"_You've just been counted out copper…" I heard him snigger in my ear as I felt my knees begin to weaken._

_But then, my very own angel had emerged from nowhere. In the video that uniform always took of raids like this for training purposes, I would see that Mae had sprung onto his back and ripped his head back by the hair. All I remembered was hearing her say;_

"_Funny, I didn't hear any bell."_

_It had worked and his grip had loosened enough for me to move aside. But Mae had ended up being thrown roughly to the ground, from my attackers, considerable six feet four height. It hadn't deterred her however, she had sprung lithely back to her feet and stood by my side as my coked up attacker prepared to come at us again. Although I had retired from fighting, the venomiser had made one last appearance that night. But instead of finishing my opponent, it had simply slowed him down a little thanks to the drugs and adrenaline in his system._

"_High and low?" Mae had barked as she just managed to side step a blow he was aiming at her. I nodded and in a rehearsed but thankfully not often used move, I aimed a heavy blow to the attackers head and attempted to place him in a headlock, whilst Mae aimed several kicks to the back of his knees, before, using all her strength and swiping his feet from beneath him._

"_TIMBRE!" Jasper had teasingly called from the other side of the warehouse._

"_I'm…I'm gonna fucking have you…bitch." The guy, who we had managed to bring to his knees and a uniformed officer and I were in the middle of cuffing, yelled at Mae menacingly. "Wass your name…I wanna remember your name bitch." He demanded, lunging forward towards Mae. The punch she snapped out into his face was still being talked about and praised round the station, but it was what she had leant forward and hissed in his ear that set my heart racing._

" _My name is Cullen…Mae Cullen…and if you ever try to strangle or even touch my husband again…I will kill you…" _

_The intense anger, pride and love in her eyes as she glared at him had been truly breathtaking. But as soon as he had been dragged out towards the vans, where Costello was already waiting, Jake wanting to make up for his fuck up, had chased him down. His resignation had been waiting for me on my desk the following morning. It hadn't come to that, Leah, who wanted to make her acting Inspector status permanent had transferred to the Royal Protection squad. With all of us joking that hopefully she would do a better job than we had. Jake had asked me how Mae and I managed to work the way we did in situations like that. Thankfully the phone had rung before I had had to try and put into words, the fact we saw every situation like that night as a threat to the future we had fought so hard for, and that we would fight for as long and hard as it took to get rid of that threat accepting that there would be injuries along the way. Like the hairline fracture to her wrist, Mae had received delivering that final beautiful punch to my strangler. It hadn't required a cast, but a firm and uncomfortable brace which Mae had been going to see the doctor about having removed on the morning of my birthday. All she had told me with a wicked twinkle in her eye, was that she would need both hands for my present, which I wasn't going to receive until later that night. _

_Thanks to Jane however, Mae and I had not spent the night of my birthday celebrating my birthday with our friends and then later privately as we had planned, but in a hospital room, with Mae effectively trapped in her own waking nightmare._

"I'm sorry Carlisle…"

"What?" I said in confusion, trying to understand what she had just said. "What for?"

"My melt down…I know this is as tough…" she began

"Stop…don't you dare apologize…Jesus Mae, most people would be hysterical wrecks after the week you've had...and all the stress…unnecessary or not about tomorrow." I said firmly, my fingers resting lightly over her lips to stop her talking. "In fact…I was wondering how long it was going to take for it to happen…for you to stop being Agent Marshall and started being Mrs Cullen. The Mrs Cullen who if I remember correctly, made the rule that our apartment and especially our bedroom…was the place where Mr and Mrs Cullen…laugh, love and take care of each other's needs, whatever they may be, for however long or…short…a time…" I said pointedly, trying to keep the positive thoughts flowing.

"I'm not the only one who had suffered…you and Edward…even poor Alice…I swear if Jane wasn't already…"

"Dead…" I said tightly. "You can say it…I have a million different thoughts and feelings going through me at the moment love, so does Edward…but my main concern is the same as Jasper's…my wife. Although, I really do not envy Jasper trying to keep Alice amused during her two weeks bed rest." I chuckled humourlessly.

What Mae had been about to say, was that if Jane wasn't already dead, Jasper would have killed her himself. The strain of seeing Harrowview burning, knowing that Edward, the one person in our little group who truly understood and 'got her', was inside, quickly followed by what happened to Mae, had sent Alice's blood pressure soaring and the doctor had placed her on bed rest in an attempt to reverse it. And thankfully, it seemed to be working as, apart from bad back pain and sciatica in her legs, Alice was having, an otherwise pretty healthy pregnancy. That didn't stop the agony Jasper was going through, as he was forced to watch the health of the woman and child he adored, being threatened by the actions of a twisted, evil bitch like Jane. I would never forgive myself if something happened to Alice or the baby.

" I vowed in sickness and in health as well remember…and this…this is nothing compared to what you went through nursing me through the flu." I said, still determined to keep the mood light as Mae with the help of the painkillers, looked like she was starting to drift into much needed sleep. Holding her so close whilst finally being able to express some of the fears that had been threatening to cripple me all week, seemed to be helping me drift as well.

And as I hoped she would, Mae shot back with

"Carlisle, you didn't have the flu…you had a cold…a bad cold, but a cold"

"So you say!" I huffed. "Either way…you're bedside manner made my suffering a lot easier to bear." I sighed dramatically.

Mae laughed. It was brief and a little brittle, but she actually laughed. It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.

"My mother was a nurse remember?…I picked up a few things…"

"I really hope that didn't include the…treatment…with the ice cubes…" I joked. Mae growled and slapped my chest with her bad hand before I could stop her.

"Oww, ohh…fuck…I hate being so…weak…so bloody fragile…" she hissed in both emotional and physical pain…"I guess that's part of the reason I've held it all in. I didn't want to give Jane…the satisfaction of seeing me…wherever she is…seeing that…she had hurt me…terrified me again…" Mae sniffled. I tightened my arms around her.

"I've been pretty terrified myself…" I said softly.

"I know love…but as you said…as I know…and I do know Carlisle…tomorrow…" using my body to balance, Mae had knelt up in the bed, her hands finding and holding my face firmly.

"FUCK IT! I NEED TO SEE YOU! I WANT…I want you to see how much I love you…" she exploded, her voice trailing off with raw desperation at the end. I sat forward pulling her gently so she was straddling my lap. One of her hands dropped to my shoulder.

"Don't leave me Mae…please…please don't leave me…I'm so sorry…for what she…" I sobbed

"NEVER! Do you hear me…I would never…I will never leave you. I told the bitch that…I told her that she would actually have to kill me…that that would be the only way, she would ever get me to leave you again…" Mae said roughly, she slipped her hands beneath my shoulders and pulled me forward, cradling my head against her chest, her fingers working through my hair, massaging my scalp as she dropped kisses on the top of my head, before simply leaving her lips there.

"Always Carlisle…I will love you always…and forever…and in a month's time…Emmett will have to stop me running down the aisle to you…where I will say my vows again and tell the world once and for all how much I love you…and how damn proud I am to be your wife…and you Carlisle…you'll be able to see it when you lift my veil and look into my eyes." She said finally.

"And you will see the same things looking back at you…I love you Mae…always…always and forever…" I breathed before I gently, but as passionately as possible crashed my lips to hers. We both whimpered at the contact. The dressings over Mae's eyes made things a little awkward, but we managed to deepen the kiss, moaning into each other's mouths as our tounges dueled, both desperate to claim each other and show each other as much tenderness and love as possible.

"Carlisle…" Mae breathed pulling away and resting her forehead against mine.

"mmm…" I mumbled, desperate to regain the contact we just had. This was another time when actions spoke louder than words with Mae and I.

"Turn the CD player on."

"Huh?" I said dumbly.

"Turn the CD layer on… you're birthday present is in there…I…you need to hear it…please love…" she whispered.

Shifting her slightly, I reached for the remote that controlled the bedroom TV and the sound speakers that were wired through the apartment.

"I wanted to do something special…for your first birthday since we've been back together…it's also part of your wedding present…I just wanted to tell you…how much I love you…what us…what it means, how damn grateful I am that we got another chance…" Mae sighed tearfully.

"But I think tonight…it kinda sums up everything I've been trying to say…everything we've both been trying to say…"

"…Kay, I'm really starting to get the feeling, that I'm going to hate myself for sulking about how much you sent round at Alice and Jasper's working on this…" I chuckled softly. Mae had been whispering in corners and spending hours round at Jasper and Alice's for almost a month before my birthday two weeks previously.

"Aww sweetie…you'd better add Bella and Edward to that list as well…we were round there a lot. Edward's playing and Bella is singing. Jasper is playing guitar and he helped me with the lyrics…" Mae said shyly.

"You wrote me a song?" I said in touched awe. Mae motioned for me to shut up and press the button. I did, laying back and moving her so she was laying on my chest beneath the covers.

_**You and I, we've been at it so long**_

_**I've still got the strongest fire**_

_**You and I still know how to talk**_

_**Know how to walk the wire**_

_**Sometimes I feel like the world is against me**_

_**The sound of your voice baby**_

_**That's what saves me**_

_**When we're together I feel so invincible**_

_**Cause it's us against the world**_

_**You and me against them all**_

_**If you listen to these words**_

_**Know that we are standing tall**_

_**I don't ever see the day when I won't catch you when you fall**_

_**Cause it's us against the world tonight.**_

**AN; So, I hope you can find something in here to like. Next chap, it'll be Mae's turn to explain what happened with Jane.**

**Song is by Irish band Westlife.**

**Nicked=busted/arrested.**

**To anyone I haven't told and who might be interested. I am on Twitter as CI5girl. Drop by, say hi, I tweet about this story and life in general.**

**And to anyone who had to reread my earlier big chap because I posted the wrong one, I can assure you that this is for it's and my sins, the right chap.**


	18. Chapter 18

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT. Plot is mine.**

**AN; I am sorry for the long delay in updating. RL including a heavy cold has been giving me a tough time. I know this might not be exactly how some of you hoped JanevMae turned out…but I hope you can find something to like. M rated for lang, violence and dark images.**

******ESME POV**

"Lady Whitmore. You were, were you not, a friend of the deceased Lady Jane Cullen for almost thirty years? You have served on many charitable committees together, shared personal confidences, your worries about your husband's…your children?"

"Yes."

"So Lady Jane would have confided her hurt, her pain at how her son Carlisle…the new Lord Cullen's, relationship with Esme Marshall had turned out. She did leave him standing at the altar seven years ago after all. It must have been a very hard distressing time for all…"

"Jane was devastated. I know parents aren't supposed to have favourites, but Jane was extremely close to Carlisle…they had a special bond…"

"Is she fucking serious?" Carlisle hissed, loud enough for the coroner sitting behind the bench at the front of the court to hear and glare at us.

"She hated seeing him suffer so much. She knew how much he had loved Miss Marshall…she had grown rather fond of her as well. Wanted to help her adjust to her role as the new Lady Cullen" Caroline Whitmore, the woman I had met in the gallery of the House of Lords after her husband had fallen asleep and almost ended up drooling all over my shoulder, simpered. She had seen a nice woman, who had encouraged my excited chatter about how proud I was of seeing my husband Carlisle giving his speech, now I knew why.

"Is that so?" George Henry, the QC who handled most of the SCI's big cases mused. We were attending the inquest into the cause of the fire at Harrowview and Jane's resulting death. It wasn't a criminal court, although the coroner could advise that criminal charges be bought later if he felt the evidence that he would hear from us all over the day warranted it. But due to Jane's position as a star witness in Julian Costello's treason trial, the evidence was being scrutinized a little harder than normal and Carlisle had wanted us to have the best there was in our corner protecting us from any problems that may occur as the Coroner made up his mind as to the official cause of the fire and Jane's death.

"I would like to enter taped exhibit PT1 for the bench's consideration. It is a recording of a phone tap that the Security Services had in place. It is dated two days before the fire at Harrowview"

In circumstances such as house fires, inquests could be heard infront of jury's, but due to the sensitive nature of the case, it was being heard in front of the two senior coroners a magistrate and a senior Queens Councel lawyer.

"_**Lying…gold digging little whore! HOW DARE SHE? How dare she call herself…how dare she refer to herself as Lady Cullen…there so called**_** wedding, the day she ruins my son…isn't until December! Half the damn plebs from the village, have received invitations. "**

Jane Cullen's cold, hatred filled voice echoed round the court room with the volume and impact of an explosion. Carlisle crushed me against his side and kissed the top of my head roughly, whilst Alice gripped my hand tightly. I heard Edward, Jasper Emmett and Rose muttering darkly further down the row we had taken up in the gallery at the back of the closed court room.

Lady Whitmore had paled in shock, her face paling, beneath the thick make up she wore in attempt to hide her advancing age.

George Henry didn't say anything. He knew that the nervous, shocked Caroline would soon fill it and try to justify herself.

"She was worried about Carlisle being hurt again..getting back together with her…after what she did the last time…"

"What Lady Esme did the last time?" George Henry queried. Caroline nodded. "You mean fleeing Harrowview house to seek medical assistance after Lady Jane Cullen had tricked her into ingesting a potentially lethal dose of abortion inducing medication?" Henry snarled.

Carlisle began crooning the words of Us Against the World, the song I had written, in my ear. Inbetween the song lyrics, he kept whispering our little mantra of Always and Forever.

"I…I…she…I didn't know…" Caroline stammered.

"You may not have known that…but you did know didn't you how much Jane hated Mae, you knew about the other stresses Jane was under…you knew what finding out that Carlisle and Esme had married would do to her. You knew that she was suffering mentally…without needing to hear the report Dr French gave us earlier. You knew how fixated she had become about keeping her title…about keeping Carlisle…the only person she believed loved her and cared for her." Henry boomed, signaling to the court clerk to play the tape again.

_**After the debate, Andrew and I…we ran into one of the senior pages that Andrew knows from his golf club…Carlisle has officially begun the registration procedure… of transferring the title to her and making you only a "Right honorable"he provided a wedding certificate Jane…they've been married since the end of June…I'm so sorry…"**_

Caroline's voice was sickly sweet, but you could hear the malice and insincerity dripping from every word.

"_**Nooo…he wouldn't, Carlisle… he wouldn't do that to me…he would have told me…I'm his mother…he wouldn't…he wouldn't leave me to go back to…marry that whore…he knows I need him. He knows what's expected of him…his duties…he needs a decent, well bred wife…to give him heirs…not little bastards… **_

Carlisle's body became like stone and his grip on me almost painful. I rested my free hand over his heart. I felt Carlisle kiss his my head again

"you knew and yet you still took great delight in telling her about the marriage…about how she was on the verge of losing the title and possibly the home she loved…"

I didn't hear Caroline's reply as Alice had asked me to accompany her to the bathroom incase she got stuck in the cubicle. She was off her bed rest now, and eagerly counting down the days to both the wedding, which was just over ten days away and then her planned Caesarian the following week. She was suffering badly with her back.

Thankfully, the ladies room was empty..

" I know I'm not perfect…not his class… and I know I hurt him…but all I've ever done…all I ever want to do, is love him…care for him, try and make him as happy as he makes me…and I think I haven't been doing too bad a job…" I whispered softly, the painful pounding of my heart at hearing Jane from beyond the grave, had strangled my voice in my throat.

"Mae…don't…don't let the bitch get in your head…not now…" Alice called from the cubicle she was in.

"She's never left it…Carlisle wanted to tell her…more than once… he wanted to face her…and then he had the papers ready…he wanted to shout it from the roof tops of the House of Lords…he had found the courage…but it was me…I was scared…greedy. We'd been through some serious shit at work, but we were happy…really happy, like a normal married couple...he w whined when I dragged him grocery shopping…I moaned the Tv remote was glued to his damn hand…we actually stopped ordering out and started cooking dinner! Stupid things…but I loved every damn minute…I felt safe…happy…I didn't want it to stop, I didn't want that bitch getting in our heads and tainting it…I knew she would have to know eventually…but I wanted to put it off…I was so scared…but he was brave…I knew how much it took him…how hard it was for him…he needed me… if had been stronger, told her about the wedding earlier, when he was feeling strong enough too…if I hadn't have been such a coward and had the guts to stand by his side…believe in us…our strength myself, all the things I keep telling him to believe in…then maybe none of this might have happened…to Edward, to you…" I whimpered softly, my eyes locking with Alice as she maneuvered herself out of the cubicle and came to where I was leaning against the sink. She washed her hands quickly before turning and taking my hands in hers. Her face was cutely fierce.

"Is my foot tapping? I'm making the move in my head but my feet are so dam far away from the rest of my body at the moment, I'm not sure." She pouted looking so damn adorable.

"Mae…honey…" she said now suddenly serious. "last time you told the bitch…gave her time to come to terms with it…she almost killed you. This time, with everything else that had happened…you and Carlisle actually being married…if she'd had more time to think…to plan…she would…have killed you." She said grimly. And I knewshe was right

"Yes Edward ended up with a concussion and he will probably need Bella's help in finding a good shrink to talk things through with…and I… Jazzy, baby girl and I…" she said softly rubbing her stomach. "We had a bit of a scare it's true…but I had been overdoing things anyway and we are both fine…tired and cranky but fine…" she giggled. She let go of one of my hands and pushed the hair tenderly back behind my ear, her gaze as she looked down at me was tender and full of love. "Mae…you and Carlisle…we all love you very much…you've jokingly called yourselves Mummy and Daddy before…but in a way you guys really are the parents of our little urban family. You've been through some crazy hard shit, and you haven't been together as long as Jazz and I…technically, but you have a strength…a calm about you… that has nothing to do with your work…it makes us all feel safe. And we would go through all the shit we have done again…if it means we get to see you two happy…"

"And Emmett gets to power slide across the dance floor at the reception." Rose said with a laugh as she entered the bathroom.

"Carlisle and Jasper are getting worried…" she explained.

"As if my daughter, would make her debut in a skanky court toilet! Alice huffed. "No, if she was going to make an unplanned entrance, she would make it somewhere far more glamourous."

Edward was in the witness box when we returned. He looked strikingly handsome in a charcoal grey suit with crisp white shirt. His usually unruly hair was tidy for once thanks to the cut he had had a few days before. His face was impassive, he was after all used to deal with intensely stressful scenes on the battlefield, but those of us who knew and loved him could see the tension in his stance and jaw as he spoke.

"Forgive me Captain Cullen, I just want to make sure I understand clearly…" the coroner said in an irritatingly nasal whine. "It was whilst you were on the way to the airport to collect your girlfriend…Miss Bella Swan…" Edward's eyes flashed dangerously for a second at the mention of Bella. Their relationship had gone public after Bella was seen leaving Edward's building early one morning, having been followed there by paparazzi the night before. Apart from that however, they had for the most part managed to fly under the gossip columns radar. Even though there was a D notice, a special government veto used to stop the press reporting on certain sensitive cases, Bella had insisted that she didn't want to add anymore pressure to an already tough situation by attending.

"Could we play the tape of the message please?" the coroner said. Edward had never told us what had happened during his time alone with Jane, how when we had arrived at the house it was to find him unconscious on the floor, bleeding profusely from a deep head wound that had left him with a nasty scar over his eyebrow.

"**Carlisle…Carlisle please tell me that Caroline was lying…please my darling sweet boy. Please tell me that you haven't given that whore my house…my name…How could you hurt Mummy like that Carlisle? How could you? I'm going to prison for you Carlisle…I could have let them send that worthless, waste of space of a brother of yours instead…but I didn't…for you…"**

"I'm sorry…I…" Edward had stammered before fleeing the box and running from the court.

We found him outside, round the side of the building a small pool of vomit to his side. He was squatting down, his arms wrapped round his knees as he rocked back and forth, a cigarette dangling loosely from his hand.

"Edward…" Carlisle began cautiously.

"I tried…I tried so hard…for so damn long. I love that house…I know it's not mine…"

"What do you mean it's not yours? It's your home…" Carlisle said.

"Not really…grandpa Cullen left it to you remember…even he liked you better than me…" he laughed roughly. The almost childlike hurt in his eyes as he looked at us was heartbreaking.

"Edward…I don't want the fucking house…you know that…you know…that all I care about is you…please brother…please…you're all I've got now…I can't do all this Lord shit by myself…I need you, I've always needed…I've always loved you…please…" Carlisle begged, holding out his hand to Edward, his voice rough as large tears began coursing down his cheeks.

"She's gone…and I know I'm about twenty fucking years too late…but I swear…I will never let anyone…"

"Oh for fuck's sake hug each other before the walking hormone here combusts…" Emmett begged looking terrified. Alice had her arms wrapped round his waist and was sobbing into his stomach.

After we all had hugged the life out of both of them, we had returned to the court to give them a minute. Sue had insisted on waiting outside the court room doors to make sure they were 'presentable' before they re entered.

I knew what Carlisle had meant when he had said that Edward was all he had. He knew he had me and our friends, our own little family of sorts, but there is a weird pull of needing 'blood' family. I had felt the same way many times after my mom had died. It can leave you feeling very vulnerable and alone. But it hadn't stopped my heart spasming painfully in my chest. I couldn't wait for our month long honeymoon where I would have real time to love, care and spoil him.

The rest of the tape had heard Jane, who was clearly drunk and who had become more bitter and beligerant as it went on, threatening to stand up at the wedding and tell the church exactly why Carlisle shouldn't marry me. It was another long rant littered with descriptions of me as a;slut, whore, gold digging tramp. Or kill herself, right then and there, she went on and on about how easy it would be to have an 'accident' with all the electricians equipment lying around. The British Heritage Inspectors had ordered after their last inspection of Harrowview, that the electrics in the East Wing of the house, the wing where Jane mostly lived, had to be redone and brought up to code like the rest of the house had been by Aro and then later Edward and Carlisle. Jane had been delaying, and frightening away workmen for years years and as they were all eager for a quiet life, they had left her to shuffle about her gloomy domain. Now however, if Edward had wanted any chance of extending his outward bound courses for kids and his corporate events, it had to be fixed. Jane had refused at first, but Carlisle had put his foot down during a very short, terse phonecall.

"And they are just my good points…" I had whispered to Edward. He grinned. "How do you…doesn't it hurt?" he whispered back.

"Hurts like hell...even now…makes me feel like shit…but I have to keep telling myself that she's done her worst…and I will never give her the satisfaction of breaking me, us…" I said nodding my head backwards towards Carlisle who was sitting on my left, whilst Edward was now on my right. "Not again…not after everything we've been through."

"Do you guys rehearse this stuff? He said exactly the same thing." Edward chuckled. I just smiled and leant against Carlisle dropping a kiss against his shoulder. His face was pale and his eyes still a little red from crying, but they were full of love.

"I told him it was more a case of great minds…" he said softly, obviously having heard our conversation

"Despite what his mother thought, Captain Edward Cullen was a good son and brother. Upon receiving the message from Lady Jane, who I believe the current vernacular states 'drunk dialed' the wrong number. He diverted from his journey to the airport, anxious to check on his mother's welfare, and to allow his brother who had been dealing with some extremely stressful situations at work to enjoy his birthday celebrations.

_Embry's son Peter's birthday, was the day after Carlisle's and Charlotte decided to throw them a joint party at Embry's place inviting the usual gang plus a few more of Carlisle's friends I hadn't met yet. The "Thief Takers" the five aside football team Carlisle and the boys played in, had been playing a match against a team of firemen that had run into overtime when Emmett had illegally tackled one of the firemen who had, not knowing that Rose could lip read, told his friend_ _that she could side down his pole anytime she liked. Rose had quietly fumed till near the end of the game, when exasperated by not only the fireman and his mates that kept leering at her, but also the lack of score, Rose had blurted out to Emmett, who had been showing off for Rose all the game and hanging round the side of t pitch where we were all standing, what the fireman had said. _

"_Please tell me, she didn't just do what I thought she did?" Alice had whispered, screwing up her face in mock horror._

"_Can't…she did." I replied wincing._

"_I can't watch…" Alice had giggled burying her head against my hip. Alice was very heavily pregnant now and still suffering with back ache and sciatica in her legs. She had become a firm believer in the old saying; 'don't stand if you can sit and don't sit I you can lay'. Sitting was the lesser of two painful options, and she had come to the sports centre where the game was being played complete with her own specially padded fold out chair. She had grumbled that she looked like Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars, Rose and I had personally thought her teal green sweater, elfin face and_ _hair made her more like a pissed off little lepracaun. Everyone always thought that becau because of his size, Emmett would play in goal, but he didn't he was incredibly light and fast on his feet and played on the wing. Meaning that the incredibly brave/stupid fireman, barely had chance to register the sight of a Emmett thundering towards him like an out of control freight train, before he was on the floor nursing a thankfully only sprained ankle. Carlisle and Jasper had had to employ all their diplomatic skills, and a few crowd control techniques to handle the argument that had broken out._

"_It worked when you told Carlisle about Wolf touching you up." Rose had argued weakly. All I could do was hug her as waited for Carlisle and the boys to finish in the shower. It may have not looked like it with the amount of Wolf's blood Carlisle had spilt, but Carlisle was much more of his aggressive tendencies than Emmett and even Jasper were._

"_But you promised we could play…I haven't been on the drums for ages_ _and Peter's got an even better set than Carlisle…" we heard Emmett whine._

"_Em…with the weekend traffic and the amount of times I'll have to stop to give Alice a bathroom break…we'll be lucky to get there before midnight." Jasper had grumbled._

"_Tomorrow then…" Emmett had pleaded hopefully. "I know you and Eddie have been playing for Mae…but come on, you know you really want to rock out a bit…The Who, the Stones, Jovi…" Emmett teased._

"_We'll see…" Jasper had growled._

"_That is such a dad type thing_ _to say!" Edward joked as he and Carlisle walked up behind us. Edward had meant it jokingly, but Jasper's face had broken into a huge, beautiful compliment._

"_Remind me again why you are adding at least another two hours and attack by paparazzi to collect Bella from the airport, when she offered to meet you at the house?" Jasper queried, looking at Edward if he was crazy._

"_Um…because she has been away in the States filming love scenes with another man and he wants to remind her that Peter Facinelli has nothing on…" Emmett offered._

"_Ooh, Peter Facinelli with nothing on…" Alice giggled._

"_Hello…husband standing right here…" Jasper had growled._

"_Sorry honey…it was the sight of seeing you getting all hot and_ _sweaty…made me a little hormonal." Alice had said innocently, wrapping her arm round Jasper's waist._

"_We are so getting all the details from Bella later…" Rose hissed to me._

"_Hell yeah!" I had replied with a giggle._

"_You…you would lust after other men on my…your loving dearly devoted husbands birthday?" Carlisle had stammered in mock horror_

"_It's not technically your birthday until tomorrow my love…" I had said wrapping myself around his side "But have no doubt…that tomorrow…the only man I will be lusting over…will most definitely be you…" I had purred, feeling brave in semi darkness, I had nipped his earlobe playfully._

_Carlisle had been adorably sweet, as he excitedly told me about what he and his friends had gotten up to when they were younger on the drive down. But, beneath the laughter and fondness in his tone as he reminisced about things like midnight feasts, dinners in the great hall, inter house competitions, all things I had only ever heard of through reading and watching Harry Potter, I had heard a_ _sadness, a loneliness that had torn at my heart._

"_How old where you when you went to boarding school?" I had asked. His head had snapped round in surprise at the question._

"_Eleven…Harrow School is a high school takes boys from eleven till eighteen. You have to have money of course, but you also have to have attended a suitable 'prep'…preparatory school…kindergarden come junior high you'd call it. The best one when I was a child was Silverton in Hampshire, it was a boarding school. Jane had put my name down five minutes after finding out she was pregnant…" Carlisle had chuckled humourlessly. " But this was one time Dad put his foot down…I remember sitting on the stairs listening to them argue over it. He was asking her why she had bothered having me if she was going to send me away to be raised by strangers at the age of four." Carlisle had said lowly, his eyes far away and pained as he had gazed back out at the traffic that we had suddenly run into._

" _I eventually went to a smaller one in London, Jane wasn't happy…I sometimes wonder if she had sent me away…"he had mused_

"_No…Carlisle no, you were a baby…you could have ended up…"_

"_Even more damaged than I am now?" he offered wryly, turning his head and transfixing me with an intense gaze that had made me shudder. Coming in such close proximity to Harrowview and Jane always seemed to bring out our inner doubts and I hated it._

_But as always, ten minutes in Embry's company had relaxed us both. We had approached him smiling, but he had gripped each of our arms._

"_The only thought you should have of that old demon, is of how much she is suffering. Knowing that half the village is attending her own son's wedding when she's not. Knowing that despite her best efforts, she couldn't break you and that you are now here surrounded by people who love you celebrating the big fella's birthday. Now please Mae me darling…make an old man very happy, and tell me his Lordship's got grey hairs...or better yet, he's woken up this morning with a bald patch and a face like a slapped arse…" Embry had chuckled._

"_I'm sorry Embry…getting older might be making him a little more cranky…" I had teased. Carlisle had huffed playfully before attempting to poke me in the ribs. "But he's still as…heart stopping handsome…more so…" I had purred._

_After dragging me off to a small cloak room that led off the hall, and kissing so passionately that I was forced to hold onto him for a good five minutes, in an attempt to keep my balance, Carlisle had begun excitedly towing me round the room introducing me to people. There had been a couple who obviously knew what had happened before and had been a little cold and snotty, but in the most part they had been friendly. _

_Bella had entered the large lounge area where we were gathered about an hour later, and after stopping to talk to and sign autographs for_ _people, anyone who asked for a photo, was asked for their address so that she could send them one where she looked less like 'the living dead' as she had put it._

_Before Carlisle and I had had chance to ask her where Edward was,_ _Carlisle's phone had bleeped repeatedly with text and voice messages. With an annoyed huff he had pulled it from his pocket, his frown changing from annoyance to confusion as he looked at the screen._

_The text had read; __**u're it. Need to play docs 4 awhile**_

"_Bella, did Edward pick you up from the airport?" Carlisle had demanded. The desperation in his tone for childlike in it's intensity._

"_No. He called my assistant and asked her to do it. He told her an emergency had come up at the house…with his mother…" she stammered, her large brown eyes widening and filling with genuine fear and concern for the man she loved. Instinctively, I had wrapped my good arm around her shoulders and pulled her too me, needing the comforting contact as much as she did at that moment._

_Carlisle had turned deathly pale and started to shake as he had processed her words._

"_Carlisle…Carlisle talk to me please…" I had demanded, gripping at his arm. The look of fear, disbelief and anger flashing through his widened eyes when he had turned his head from the phone to look at me, would haunt me forever._

"And could you please explain to us Lord Cullen…what it was, that made you so concerned about your brother's safety after receiving his text?" the coroner had simpered. I could count on the fingers of one hand, the number of times Carlisle had insisted that someone address him by his full title, but he had hated the coroner from the moment they had met and become extremely proper and upper class. In a strange way, it had turned me on. Carlisle was wearing a perfectly tailored black suit and blue shirt. He looked incredibly imposing as he leant forward slightly on his hands that were gripping the rail of the witness box. Only I could see the small signs of tension. I knew how much he had been dreading reliving what he had seen that night, and worse what I had seen…done. I knew he wouldn't run out, but I knew that we would need some serious alone time to recover from today. We reassured each other of our love with words all the time, but there were times when we needed to strengthen the bonds with physical acts of love that we could draw strength and reassurance from.

"_When Edward…when Jane was being a real bitch to Edward…when he couldn't take it anymore…he would come and find me, and beg me twisted crap she'd filled his head with…he has only ever needed to play docs twice…when she threw a heavy medical book at him that caught him in the ribs and left a really nasty bruise…and when she accidently on purpose…no no…" Carlisle had stammered over his shoulder as he began moving quickly through the room towards the door followed by Bella, me, Emmett, Rose and Jasper who had sensed the tension and come to investigate. Rose had quickly filled him in on what had happened. Jasper had immediately got on the phone to try and contact MI5 and see what the limited surveillance that was still on Jane and the house had picked up. It turned out to be nothing as it had been cut without our knowledge due to budget restraints._

_Carlisle had begun frantically trying to call Edward. During the seemingly endless wait for Edwards reply, that hadn't come, we had all began running for Emmett's SUV. Carlisle had tried to argue that the others didn't have to come, but had been shot down by Alice, who had seen us on her way back from the bathroom and come to join us._

"_Edward is one of my best friends…and it's time that bitch knew that he…you…aren't alone anymore…that you have people who love and care about you who will always watch and protect you from any of her shit." She had growled as she had hoisted herself into the back._

"If you would care to look at the statement Captain Cullen gave the police at the time… page 15 of your bundles. "You will see what happened when he arrived at Harrowview house." George Henry said to the bench. He had insisted that Edward not be distressed any further.

**Upon arrival, my mother who was very clearly under the influence of alcohol, became extremely abusive and angry about the fact that it was me that had turned up and not my brother who she believed that she had called.**

**She began saying repeatedly; that she didn't care that I was a Doctor. That she could be in extreme pain or gasping her last breath, and that she would still never want me. She had said that she had never wanted me in the first place, and wished that she had miscarried me as she had done with her four previous pregnancies. After ascertaining that despite her threats to hurt herself, she was incapable of doing so due to her intoxication, I decided to leave as I felt I was losing my temper. My mother then decided to follow me as she was desperate to see my brother and stop his up coming wedding.**

**Annoyed, I informed her that they were already married and that the ceremony in December was actually a blessing. My mother accused me of being a liar and that my brother would never do that to her.**

**I reminded her of what had happened, what she did, when my brother had told her of his previous attempt of marriage with Mae. That was when she had struck me with a heavy glass ashtray that was near her. Before I passed out, I managed to text my brother for help.**

"And what happened when you arrived at Harrowview Lord Cullen?" the coroner asked. It was Edward's turn to wrap his arm around me now as my breathing started to become ragged and I began to shake.

"_If I asked you to stay in the car would you?" Carlisle had asked. My snort of laugher answered his question._

_Jasper and Emmett were coming in with us, whilst Alice and Rose waited outside with Bella for the police and fire and ambulance that Carlisle had insisted Jasper call. He would tell me later that it must have been Aro that had made him believe that needed all three._

_Jasper and Emmett were checking the ground floor, whilst Carlisle and I, headed upstairs. Carlisle had kept tight hold of my hand as we climbed the stairs. The West wind of the house, which forked off to the left of the main staircases landing was in darkness, whilst the East Wing, Jane's wing, was bathed in the flickering light that the portable power generators the electricians had had to hook up and use to power their equipment generated. The wiring it was connected to, could only handle a certain amount of current running through it for a certain amount of time a day. The electricians had turned it off when they had left, but Jane had obviously turned it back on when they left and to a higher setting than was safe, judging by the ominous hissing, crackling and sparks that we could see and hear through the holes in the roof and missing panels along the walls._

_We had heard her before we saw her, whimpering pathetically for Carlisle…her son…her baby. Jane's cluttered and chintzy sitting room come library, was illuminated only by several tall candle sticks with two arms that held six candles in each arm, and various candelabras shoved onto any available flat service. She was sprawled half on and off a large wing backed chair by the fire place. I had been shocked, but delighted, to see her usually immaculate helmet of expensively cut and dyed hair, sticking up at odd angles and her clothes un tucked, creased and disheveled._

"_What have you done?" Carlisle had hissed rushing into the room and dropping to his knees by the side of the prone Edward who was lying between us and Jane._

"_Carlisle…my baby…my baby…I knew you would come…I knew…" she had sung happily raising a little unsteadily from her chair._

"_Stay the fuck away from me you bitch…" he had snarled._

"_Is he breathing?" I had asked._

"_What is SHE doing in MY HOUSE?" Jane had shrieked, almost tripping over her feet to get to me. For the first time since I had known her, Jane had looked what she was…an old woman. The lines had increased in number and become savagely deep, seeming to drink in the thick make up she wore, giving her a pathetic clown like appearance. But it was her eyes yes they were full of hatred, but behind the rheumy blue, as well as the expected hatred I had seen genuine fear. And it had given me nothing but savage, soul deep pleasure._

"_THIS IS MY HOUSE! IT HAS NEVER BEEN YOURS! You have only lived here…had all of this because Dad and then I let you." Carlisle roared_

"_I earnt this…all of this…putting up with years of being embarrassed and pawed over by your father. The man was like some damn animal, always needing sex, to touch me…have me touch him…but I preferred that to his constant need to talk to bond…the man…he was abnormal…and you…despite my best efforts…you inherited it. You prefer to run off into the arms of a dirty little WHORE than do your duty…" Jane had snarled, waving her hands around wildly. Carlisle had sprung up from beside Edward and was now leaning forward into her face._

"_YOU WILL, APOLOGISE TO MY WIFE…" he had almost screamed into Jane's face, causing her to reel backwards slightly. "She is Lady of this house now…"_

"_Never…" Jane had spat back venomously._

"_Carlisle leave her…Edward, he needs help." I had said anxiously grabbing his arm._

"_DON'T YOU TOUCH MY SON! I WON'T LET YOU HAVE HIM…MY HOUSE!" Jane had screamed. With surprising speed, she had moved round the room and knocked over two of the large candelabras that held six, fat candles in each of the their two intricate metal arms. One had fallen onto an old sofa near the back of the room, draped over the top of which, was the end of one of the curtains which must have blown forward when the window had been open earlier. It took seconds for the old, dusty material to catch. And having devoured the curtains, the columns of flames began creeping upwards along the heavy wooden lintel at the top of the window and downwards along the sofa and carpet._

_The second set of candles had fallen onto a cluttered desk near the door. The papers had caught straight away, as had the edge of the draft excluder curtains that had hung limply either side of the door, ready to be pulled together when she needed them. Carlisle had ripped them down, hurling them in his panic out into the hall, where they had caused the runner of carpet to catch._

"_Carlisle…get Edward out…out…of here…I'll bring her…" I had managed to cough out. He had looked torn but heaved Edward up into his arms, screaming out to Jasper and Emmett to meet him at the bottom of the stairs._

"_I love you…" Carlisle had called over his shoulder before disappearing._

We were in a public court, being watched by a coroner that we didn't like and who didn't like us, it was totally inappropriate, but as he returned from the box to the gallery, where I was stood waiting to move forward for my turn in the box, Carlisle had brushed my cheek with his lips and whispered a tender and fierce I love you in my ear.

"Always. Please forgive me…" I had whispered, loudly enough for both Carlisle and Edward to hear. I had told them both certain bits of what had happened when I was alone with Jane, but not all of it.

_With an angry, almost animalistic snarl, Jane had lunged at me, nails and teeth bared. Years of training and instinct had made me automatically move to grab her hands and restrain her, but the hand injury I had received on the Costello raid meant that I didn't have the full strength back in my grip yet. She twisted out of my grip and as I attempted to grab her again we fell over, Jane landing heavily on top of me. My head had hit the wooden floor hard, but before I could cry out, I was too busy trying to fend off Jane's flailing hands and frighteningly her teeth which she had tried to sink into my neck._

_We had thought that Jane had been exaggerating her health problems, but her post mortem had shown that severe vascular problems and a series of small strokes had affected her mentally as well as physically. When I had questioned how a sick old woman had gotten the drop on me, everyone was quick to remind me that the adrenaline, fear or in her case hatred could give you the strength to do things you would never think possible. And it was true. I had never expected Jane to actually bite me. Sinking her teeth, thankfully not to deep, but still hard enough to draw blood into the scar Julian Cosgrove had left on my collarbone when he had slashed me with a knife. My pain and anger had given me a burst of adrenaline and I managed to flip us, so I was straddling her chest and pinning her hands to the floor._

"And according to your statement Lady Cullen…you then punched the deceased in the face is this true?" the coroner had demanded looking horrified.

"That is the standard subdudication technique Lady Cullen has been taught…"

"In America perhaps…here, we have other ways of subduing little old ladies."

"Even when they've just bit you and are trying to do it again?" I demanded, ripping the collar of the blouse I was wearing open a little to show the now jagged edge to my already present scar. I hadn't meant to be so dramatic, but I was angry and scared of my memories and of how Carlisle, who had believed me when I had said that it was just another cut I had received and let me keep it covered.

I could hear the horrified mutters of the others, but Carlisle and Edward were still and silent. Their pale faces frighteningly impassive.

"I would like to point out…that the post mortem concluded most definitely that Lady Cullen, due to the injury to her hand was only able to administer a glancing blow, that merely stunned Lady Jane and left a couple of bruises." George Henry said quickly.

_My lungs were burning and screaming for fresh air as I had dragged the slightly more co-operative Jane up off of the floor and gripping her to my side, dragged us both into the hall. My limbs had felt like they were made of lead and my head was spinning as I had breathed in more of the thick black smoke and plaster dust that was swirling around. I could hear Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper up ahead and had tried to focus on their voices. We had made fair progress, then suddenly, Jane had started to struggle hard against me. My head was spinning, my chest already sore from where she had landed on it earlier and my hand was twice…I couldn't hold her. Coughing, she had staggered ahead of me, coming to a halt by the side of one of the scaffolding towers that were at various points along the hall to allow the electricians access to the roof cavities. Gripping one of the rails for support she turned to face me, her face twisted in hatred._

"_I…will…never…let…you…take…him…my…Car…lisle…my…house…NEVER…" she had coughed out._

"_YOU'RE TOO LATE BITCH!...He's mine…the house…the house you can keep…if it means so much to you…but Carlisle…NEVER…you are NEVER going to take him from me…again…you will have to…kill me first…to keep me from him."I had choked out, adrenaline, hatred, fear, love and truth giving strength to my voice._

"The electricians had situated the generators they were using, beside the scaffolding towers to ensure constant power for their tools. Forensic testing has clearly shown that the only other finger prints on the power control gauge of the generators belonged to Jane Cullen. She turned the level of power being emitted through the generator, way past what the wiring of Harrowview house could handle." George Henry declared solemnly to the quiet court room. Alice was fisting Jasper's shirt tightly, her large eyes red from crying and fear filled as she looked at me. Rose was gripping a pale faced Emmett's arm and trying to smile encouragingly at me. It looked like Edward was having to physically hold Carlisle in his seat. There were so many emotions flickering over his face.

"The increase in power through the old, unsafe wiring that the electricians had exposed in several places including the ceiling, of the hallway, caused an explosion which caused large parts of the ceiling to collapse. It was a large portion falling ceiling panel that was responsible for the death of Jane Cullen and knocking Lady Cullen unconscious."

_It was probably my imagination, but I was convinced that it was the sound of Carlisle roaring my name from outside, his tone sounding like that of a wounded animal, that had forced me back to consciousness. The only illumination in the hallway now was from the greedily devouring the centuries old wall panels and tapestries. Not that they were anything more than slight shimmers to me. I could barely breath such was the thickness of the smoke and debris swirling around and my vision was flickering in and out of focus._

_In my confusion, I had tried to answer Carlisle's desperate screams. For a long moment I had let the fear and tears overwhelm me. But then my earlier words came back to me. "You'll have to kill me…to keep us apart.." she had tried, but I wasn't dead. And I had promised Carlisle more than once that I would never leave him without putting up a hell of a fight first. I would tell Carlisle later, that I was convinced that I had seen my mother, standing by the door of the room I would escape from which was a few feet ahead of me._

_From what I had been told, I had not been imagining hearing Carlisle calling me. He had roared my name desperately until he had literally lost his voice. _

"_I hear you baby…I hear you…I'm coming…I'm coming." I had repeated to myself over and over in a desperate mantra as I had begun kicking the fallen plaster off of me and the prone Jane._

"Jane Cullen was dead…"

"I didn't know that then…" I replied quickly. "She is…was…my husband's mother…I couldn't…I wouldn't leave anyone in a situation like that…" I had said desperately, gripping the rail at the front of the witness box tightly. My eyes were stinging and my vision was becoming horribly blurred. I hadn't realized that I had started to cry.

"Lady Cullen…would you like to stop for a moment?" I heard the coroner say.

"NO! NO…I…we…need this to be over…" I whimpered looking desperately towards Carlisle. Although I couldn't see him clearly, I had felt the love and support that was radiating from Carlisle.

"You managed to drag Jane Cullen with you into one of the nearby rooms."

I nodded.

"If you refer to your bundles…page 23. You will see the scene of crime photographs of the room, and the scaffolding tower which had been outside of it by the electricians to gain access to the roof.

_I had still been struggling to focus my eye sight. And it had been more luck …divine intervention, that had given me the strength and allowed me to correctly judge, where to hit to smash the glass of the window and clamber out onto the narrow planking of the scaffolding tower. Alice would tell me later, that it was hearing the tools I had knocked over and sent clattering noisily to the ground that had alerted her to my position round the side of the house._

"_CARLISLE! CARLISLE…MAE…SHE'S HERE…CARLISLE!" Alice had screamed._

"_MAE! MAE!...Oh God…" I heard Carlisle rasp behind me._

" If the bench will look at the medical reports, you will see that Lady Cullen suffered a cut to her hand that required surgical treatment to close. As you can see, she is still suffering." George Henry had said nodding towards my bandaged hand.

"_Mae…stay still…we'll come up and get you." I had heard Jasper call. But I was in a hysterical panic and had begun trying to drag Jane's prone body, that I had propped up behind me, out of the room that was quickly becoming filled by smoke and flames. But as I had tried to grip her firmly with my damaged hand, I had cried out and stumbled backwards._

"I tried…I tried to hold her…I did…but my hand…I fell backwards…off the scaffold…Carlisle…Carlisle…please…please help me…" I sobbed as the terror I had felt that night as I fell came crashing back over me.

"Mae…Mae…it's alright my darling…you're safe…you're safe…I've got you…"

I would discover later that Carlisle had rushed forward and managed to catch me before I had passed out in the witness box.

"_I'm afraid this won't be like the films Mae…you won't be able to see perfectly the moment the bandages come off…" Mr. Daltry, my Consultant Ophthalmologist had said seriously as he carefully began loosening the tape around my eyes._

"_I know… all that" I had hissed, I had survived being stabbed, lord knows how many beatings over the years, not to mention falling from a burning building, but it was taking all I had not to cry out at the sharp sting caused by the tape being pulled from my sensitive skin. "Just as long as I can see…"_

"_Well, seeing as you didn't fracture any bones and from what could determine from your previous tests, there was no serious nerve damage damage…are you still having pain?"_

"_Not as much…"_

"_Good…but I'm afraid that you might still suffer some discomfort for a while, especially if you over strain your eyes…we will be keeping a close eye on you…"_

_I had felt Carlisle's grip tighten on my hand encouragingly. I quickly returned the gesture, as Mr. Daltry urged me to open my now uncovered eyes in my own time. My heart felt like it was going to explode through the wall of my chest it was beating so fast as I had slowly, began to open my sticky and sore eyes._

_The only light in the room, which seemed to shimmer infront of me as I tried to focus, came from a dim bulbed lamp in the corner. The blinds had been drawn to protect my sensitive eyes from the winter sunshine that Emmett had told me of as we had made our way to Harley Street and Dr Daltry's office._

_Everything had been and still was, blurred and lightly out of focus, but Mr Daltry had reminded me that this was completely normal, would settle and be aided by the glasses that his very thorough examination had determined I needed. But I didn't care if I had to wear inch thick bottle tops for glasses for the rest of my life, I could see. I was free of the darkness…free of her face…I could see…Carlisle's beautiful face gazing down at me. His eyes full of concern, but most of all deep love._

But the feel of a cold hard bench beneath me, and the flickering images of the other's concerned faces framing Carlisle's, made me realize that I wasn't in Dr Daltry's office a couple of weeks ago. I was at the court…we were reliving that night.

"Carlisle…" I whimpered reaching up and fisting the front of his shirt.

"I'm here my darling…I'm here…you're safe…it's over…it's all over…" Carlisle breathed. I sat up, quicker than I meant to and flung my arms round his neck.

"I love you…so much…for always…" I breathed into his neck.

"As I love you my beautiful…brave…wife…and I can't wait to marry you again…and finally get to tell the world…just how much." Carlisle said pulling me away from him and crashing his lips against mine.

**So, there you go. I know I have used creative license with a lot of things, but I really hope you can find something to like. Lady Jane did go a little crazy, but I have been informed that people can suffer mental problems as a result of vascular and mini stroke problems. Also, I thought the evil old hag deserved a big send off. I shall be hiding nervously awaiting your verdict. Next chap is the wedding. I will update as soon as I can, but real life is still being a bitch. **


	19. Chapter 19

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT. PLOT IS MINE**

**AN: Ding! Dong! So the bitch is dead, and you all seem rather pleased!lol. I'm so glad you got at least some sort of closure with the whole Jane story in the last chap. Thankyou so much for your kind words and continued support. Really couldn't do it without you! So, hope you've got your tissues…it's the wedding. I **

**CARLISLE POV**

"EMMETT! What the fuc…hell is taking you so long? If we don't leave soon, we're going to get stuck in the traffic." I hissed through the curtain of the changing cubicle. Emmett, Jasper, Edward and I were at my tailors in Savile row. We had come for a final fitting for our morning suits for the wedding. Whilst Edward, Jasper and I's suits had only had small details that needed fixing and were now hanging in the back of Emmett's SUV ready for the drive down to Grenville, Emmett had had Harris my tailor and two of his assistants fussing round him for almost an hour.

"I'm sorry…but I have a very important job to do…" Emmett grumbled as he stepped out into the communal area. He was wearing an Animal from the Muppet's T-shirt and the trousers of his morning suit. "walking Mae down the aisle. I am not going to do it in a suit, where the pants make my arse look so huge, it looks like it needs it's own postcode!" he pouted, twisting his body round to check his backside in the floor length mirrors that lined the walls.

I was speechless. I caught sight of my mouth opening and closing in disbelief in one of the mirrors.

"Carlisle…I think the parking meter's need some more money…go…I'll handle this…" Edward insisted, forcibly shoving me from the room.

"What the fuck are you still doing here?" Jasper demanded hurrying up to where I was leaning on the wall dragging heavily on a cigarette.

"Emmett is having an arse crisis." I sighed.

"Okay…do I need, or want to know what the hell that means?" Jasper chuckled.

"No…did you get it?" I demanded, remembering the errand I had sent him on.

"Yes, I got it." He said patting the black record bag slung across his chest. " I would have been back quicker, but the CEO of Tiffany's London Office just so happened, to be in the store." He said lighting his own cigarette. Due to the cost of the piece, I had had to call ahead and give them permission to allow Jasper to collect it on my behalf. Obviously, the word had got back to head office.

"Damn, they really do want Alice to work for them."

"Yep, and she's thinking about it too." He replied.

Tiffany's had made Alice a seriously lucrative offer to become their head European Market Designer.

"What about the store?"

"Times are tough. The council have put the business rates up again, she is in a prime location. The prices of silver and gold are higher than they have been in ages…she's doing okay, but even the rich Russians and Arab wives are having to tighten the purse strings. And the Tiffany's job, it would give her more time with the baby."

I don't think he knew he was doing it, but even just saying the word baby caused him to smile.

"You're getting one hell of a Christmas Present this year." I said warmly.

"Don't I know it…" Jasper replied, his smile growing even bigger.

"Excited?"

"Terrified." He admitted, suddenly serious. "I mean, it's not like I've had the best role model to learn from. I've had two emails from my folks in the last six months. Neither asked about Alice or the baby." He said bitterly.

"Jazz, you are not your Dad…" I said reaching out my gloved hand and squeezing his shoulder. It was the second week of December and the although the skies were blue and the sun bright, there was still a sharp chill in the air that had forced me to don my leather gloves and shove an overcoat over my jeans and jumper. "We've both had the best fucking teachers in how not to be parents." I growled.

"Well, I'm not taking any chances…I need you to watch my back, make sure my baby girl has at least some chance of turning out alright."

"You know I'll be here…we all will…" I said slightly confused.

"Ah crap, didn't want to ask you like this. I'm sure Alice has found a much better way of asking Mae…" he grumbled, running his hands roughly through his hair. "Jesus Cullen, for a top detective you sure can be slow on the uptake…will you be the baby's godfather?" he growled, looking at me nervously.

"Um…if you're sure…" I stammered.

"Well, I could always ask Em…"

"Ask me what? And I'm warning you now, if the possessed pixie has any problems with how I look, I'm sending her to you" Emmett grumbled as Edward propelled him through the door with one hand, whilst keeping tight hold of the garment bags containing their suits with the other.

"To be responsible for my baby girls morale welfare…her godfather…"

"Hell No! I am officially fun uncle Emmett. I've even already opened her a charge account at Hamley's." he said proudly.

Jasper looked a little stunned for a minute, then shook his head as if to say okay, wish I hadn't asked.

"And I am Uncle Edward, who already loves her too much to subject her to my parenting "issues" as well." Edward said grimly.

"I'm not without my own issues…" I had argued.

"No, but you have Mae to kick your arse back into gear if you start going all emo…" Edward said in a tone, that sounded like he was explaining something to a toddler.

"I'd be honoured…and I know Mae will be as well." I said finally

"Well, now we've sorted that out…I thought we had a wedding to get to?" Emmett said, slapping a heavy hand down on Jasper and I's shoulders, before propelling us down the street towards our cars bellowing "He's getting married in the morning" at the top of his lungs.

"So, we're going to be parents." Mae said softly. She was talking to me through my cell phone on handsfree. She had left for the trip down to Grenville earlier that morning with Alice and Rose. I knew it was ridiculous, but I was desperate to see her again. Everything that had happened to us over the last few months, had made us more determined than ever to spend as much time together loving and laughing before we had to return the harsh realities of our lives. And the one moment we were both desperate for was our wedding the next day.

"And how do you feel about that?"

" Proud, excited, a bit worried incase I screw her up, give her the wrong her the wrong advice. But I guess if you throw in the baby sitting Alice has assured me we'll be doing. I guess it'll be the great practice for when we have our own baby…" she chuckled.

My breath caught in my throat at her words, and my heart felt it was going to burst with the love I felt for her at that moment. She hadn't come right out and said it, but I knew that for Mae to mention babies after everything we'd been through, was her way of telling me that she really, truly was ready to face the future…our future.

"I love you my beautiful…brave wife…" I whispered, my fingers moved of their own accord to gently stroke the phone.

"And I love you my husband…always and forever…now hurry up and get here, I can't wait to see you.

**ESME POV**

Okay Mae think.

You came top of your class at resisting torture. What were the main steps?

Breathe. In…out…nice and steady. Stops you hyperventilating, stops you losing focus. What next?

Focus on a point in the distance, you concentrate totally on that point, climb inside it, let it surround you protect you, from any physical discomfort you may be feeling. Such as the sharp pulls and tugs to my head, which were causing tears to pool in the corner of my eyes and a dull ache to begin throbbing behind my temples.

"I need you to keep your eyes closed Mae. I don't want this hairspray getting in your eyes." Rose instructed.

"I thought my hair was done?" I whined.

"It is…almost, we just have to get your veil secure." Alice snapped.

Seeing as I had my eyes closed, which made focusing on the distance impossible, I had to try and find a safe, happy memory to try and crawl inside until this was over.

I couldn't stop my mind wandering back to last night, the reason Alice was a little cranky this morning.

_We had decided to just have a quiet dinner with our friends instead of stag or hen parties. We were all exhausted from the physical and emotional strain of the last few weeks…months. Even Alice's energy was flagging, her back, which had been troubling her all through her pregnancy, had been troubling her again and she wasn't keen to stray too far from Jasper's magic fingers as she called them._

_But that didn't mean the night had been boring. Between Embry's stories and Emmett serenading us with the Elvis songs, that had caused the entertainments manager of the hotel of he and Rose had stayed in during their trip to Vegas, to offer them a complimentary VIP suite for the rest of the stay if Emmett would fill in for their usual Elvis impersonator who had gone sick. Rose said that Emmett had thought about it for all of ten seconds before agreeing. We knew we would never hear the end of how he had 'played Vegas', but we had all been thrilled for him. He gave us all so much love, laughter and pleasure, whilst doing a sometimes extremely grim job, so there was no way we were going to begrudge him his moment in the spotlight. Rose had sent us all video of his performance, but it hadn't really done justice to the deep richness of his voice._

_Emmett had played around whilst he sang "Just Wanna Be Your Teddy Bear" to Rose, but later, when he had sung Love Me Tender accompanied on guitar by Jasper, he had truly been singing from the heart and it was beautiful. We had all cuddled closer to our partners, Embry even slipped an arm round Bridie his housekeeper. It was hard to tell what was making the old woman's cheeks red, the drinks she had, or her pleasure at the small gesture. Edward was sat on one of the sofa's with Bella wrapped in one arm and Alice in the other. Peter was on the opposite sofa mirroring him, he had Charlotte in one arm and Sue in the other. Peter had spent a lot of time at Harrowview as a child after his mother died and was as fond of Sue as Jasper was. Carlisle was sitting in an armchair and I was sat sideways on his lap, my head resting in the crook of his neck. Despite all our new found confidence in the future, being parted on the night before our wedding still made me feel vulnerable. He seemed to have felt the same way judging by the way he began to shift restlessly the nearer it came to going to bed. Embry's house was built round three sides of a central court yard. The boys were staying in the wing opposite us. So near, but yet so far._

_Thankfully, the main entrance hall had many dark corners that we could sneak into to say goodnight._

"_If she has stubble rash in the morning…I will be forced to hurt you." Alice had growled playfully at Carlisle when she came to break up our kiss._

_Slowly, the few glasses of wine, and the soothing hot water and bubbles in my bath, allowed my nerves to subside and my mind to focus on the fact that I was marrying Carlisle…again. Although, in a funny way, it felt like the first time. Tomorrow, good things always seemed to happen for us…tomorrow. It still made my heart clench with sheer joy, that tomorrow, we would walk out of the church as Mr and Mrs Cullen, with nothing hanging over us, no ghosts, no fear, just our future together to look forward to._

_I had been at the vanity mirror a little later, about to apply the face mask Alice insisted I have applied before she came to 'tuck me in' a little later, when I had heard a thump in the bedroom and felt a cold breeze. My heart was pounding as I stepped into the bedroom, which was lit only by the dim bedside lamps, to see Carlisle framed in the open balcony doors. He was still dressed in the black jeans and V necked cashmere sweater he had been wearing earlier. _

"_You…you scared me…" I had stammered. That had only been partly true, the other reason I had been so speechless was the fact my body had exploded with need at the sight of him. His body was slightly tensed in reaction to me catching him, it made him look all the more striking…powerful…beautiful._

"_I'm sorry. I never…want you to be scared of me…" he had said covering the distance between us quickly and crushing me flush against his body. I gasped, at the move and the feel of his cold skin against my flushed skin even through my pyjama's. "I would…rather die than hurt you again…" he said roughly, his tone pleading._

"_Stop…please." I said resting one hand on his shoulder and the other over his mouth. "Do you know the best wedding present you could give me?"I asked. He lifted his eyebrows as if asking me to continue. "Help me, help me find the strength to put all the hurt, all the pain behind us. Be waiting at that altar for me tomorrow, with only worries about whether Edward has the rings, whether I will really smush wedding cake all over your handsome face…"_

"_smush?" I had felt him say against my hand._

"_Yes, smush…" I had replied in a tone that dared him to argue. His eyes had danced with laughter and I felt his lips twitch into a smirk. "Not to mention what should be your biggest worry…how many…if any…bikini's I packed for the honeymoon…" I purred. "Do you think you can do that for me Mr Cullen?" _

"_With the greatest of pleasure Mrs Cullen." He had growled before crashing his lips to mine in a kiss that started out hard and desperate, but had then became, more and more tender and full of love. Our tounges were in the middle of a playful, sensual duel that had us both moaning softly into each other's mouths, when Carlisle had suddenly frozen._

"_CARLISLE CULLEN! I meant what I said. If she has a face full of stubble rash in the morning…I will hurt you…" we heard Alice yell as she came closer down the hallway. It turned out Jasper had agreed to distract Alice with a back rub before bed, to allow him to come and see me._

"_I love you…and my love…it's me who can't wait to see you tomorrow." Carlisle had said kissing me quickly, before disappearing off of the balcony, climbing the trellis that ran up the wall back down to the ground._

"_Carlisle? Alice, Carlisle wasn't here." I stammered as Alice waddled into my room, eyes narrowed, nose in the air as if she was sniffing the air._

"_Uh huh, I guess you're right…it must have been that other besotted husband-fiancee you have, that has left you with a face looking like you washed it with wire wool instead of a flannel. Oh and who has left you a Tiffany's box, containing what I imagine is a very expensive and beautiful wedding present." Alice had said sweetly, gesturing towards my pillow on the bed, where a large Tiffany's box had sat._

"_Oh…my…he…I…" I had stammered._

_There nestled in the velvet was a necklace. Ropes of silver and white gold had been woven together in a celtic design. In the centre was a teardrop cut emerald, my birth stone. It was held, in a copy of the C and E setting Alice had designed for my original engagement ring. It was breathtakingly beautiful, but it was the note that accompanied it that had caused the tears to flow._

_**The jeweler told me it was a real head turner… striking and strong, but elegant and timelessly, beautiful …the very definition of you my darling…and the generations, of breathtakingly beautiful Marshall/Cullen women to come.**_

_**My love and my heart, is Always and Forever Yours**_

_**Cx**_

"Mae…are you alright? You're shaking?" I heard Jasper say. I hadn't even heard him enter the room.

The sudden explosion of The Dukes of Hazzard theme in the room made us all jump.

"Emmett…you douche!" Jasper growled. Emmett thought it was hilarious changing people's ring tones, but we thought he'd learnt his lesson after he had changed a very pregnant and cranky Alice's tone to The Stripper, and she had almost ripped his fingers off.

"It's Carlisle…"

" Please Jazz, tell him I'm fine… I love him and I can't wait to see him" I whispered, I had never meant what I had said, as much I did at that moment. My entire body ached with need to just see him, drink in every detail of his beautiful face. Jasper had come to let us know that the boys were heading for the church, and to check on Alice, who despite her excitement was looking a little paler than normal this morning.

"Yes Ma'am. I know the feeling is mutual…hell, I am so making sure Embry brings his hip flask. Carlisle is going to…"

"Fall at her feet in a gibbering heap begging her to marry him? Alice giggled.

Emmett had pretty much the same reaction when he arrived a few minutes later.

"The others have just left for the church…so I'm all yours ladies…holy hell…Maeee…" I heard Emmett breathe behind me.

"Eyes front young lady! I am not having you go down the aisle in a wonky veil." Alice snapped, poking me sharply in the back. "And keep those eyes closed.

"Yes mom…" I pouted, a painful spasm gripping my heart as I thought once again, about how much I missed my mother today.

"It's nearly done." Rose, who was adjusting my hair and veil under Alice's supervision said softly into my ear. "She would be so proud…and she is here." she continued, squeezing the hand that I was wearing my mother's imitation sapphire ring on. Rose had been the one who had caught me having a weep over the photo of the two of us that I kept next to my bed in a double frame with a picture of Carlisle. Rose was also the one that confirmed what I really knew, that she would have loved Carlisle. _"Tall, blonde, breathtakingly handsome, loaded and most important…he worships the ground you_ _walk on. She'd adore him." _She had said before crushing me in a very Emmett style hug.

"Now you do remember what I told you. The dress is heavy, with the veil and the light in the church her eye sight won't be great, so please don't race her down the aisle, dragging her behind you like a sack of potatoes…" Alice barked.

"Leave him alone Alice, if anything it will probably be me dragging him down the aisle, not the other way around. And Emmett has already proved that if Carlisle's not around…he is the man who knows how to take really good care of me." I said sincerely.

"HA! In your face shortie!" Emmett crowed.

I felt him moving behind me, and the next thing I knew, his deep, rich voice, which sounded rough with emotion, was whispering in my ear.

"It's been my honour." he crooned before kissing my cheek softly.

_The week I was unable to see, had coincided with the week a big money laundering case the SCI had been working on had come to trial. All had been going well until mid week, when one of the defendants had started to argue that the SCI had ignored the fact that English was not his first language, and had refused him a translator. Meaning that he had not understood his rights or the questions put to him, thus creating doubt about the legitimacy of his evidence and confession. It would all be cleared up when Jake would find proof that the man had taken and passed, with distinction, several English courses. But Carlisle had been the senior officer in charge and the judge had insisted he come to court and explain himself. That had then caused a dilemma as to who, could baby sit me. Jasper was in court with Carlisle, Edward had been at Harrowview overseeing the attempts to clear up the destruction made by the fire, Alice was still on bed rest and Rose had been up to her elbows in some dead guys intestines. The police were convinced that his wife had poisoned him and were banking on Rose to prove it for them._

_Emmett had been due to give a lecture that day for the final year students of a forensic pathology course. He had cancelled without a second thought, arriving to find me in full professional hard faced bitch mode _

"_Music! Music is always good for lifting your mood, helping you relax…" he had declared switching on the radio._

"_I can see clearly now…" had boomed out at us._

_He had quickly changed the channel_

"_In your eyes, I can see my life reflected in your eyes…"_

_Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You and Brown Eyed Girl had followed on the other channels. _

_The situation had been so surreal, so Emmett, I couldn't do anything but laugh. And a relieved Emmett had joined me, his deep booming laugh only making me laugh harder, until the tears had come. I had begun sobbing pathetically. I had felt so scared, so vulnerable during those days, what to me had seemed like one ever ending night of darkness and fear. My only safe haven, the only place I could rest if only briefly, was in Carlisle's arms and being without him, being alone in the dark had terrified me. Emmett had simply held me, wrapped in his big strong arms until I had cried myself out and fallen into a light, but much needed sleep. He had then treated me to an "Emmett Special" for lunch. A huge greasy fry up, which I had refused at first, but devoured as soon as it was put in front of me. We had chatted about anything and everything, I was convinced half the stories he had told me where made up for my benefit, but I didn't care and I loved him for it. Emmett had then began reading, and giving his own unique brand of advice to the letters on the newspapers problem page._

"I need to see him Em…please…take me to Carlisle…" I said softly. They were the words I had said that day and I meant them even more now.

"It will be my…incredible pleasure Lady Cullen." He whispered hoarsely.

"Open your eyes Mae." Alice said softly.

I did slowly, to see as I had done that day, Emmett's face smiling encouragingly at me, his eyes shining with unshed tears, but time of happiness.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again…you're a lucky woman Rose…" she and Alice were standing slightly to the side beaming with love and pride. Emmett was standing slightly behind me, looking incredibly striking in a charcoal grey morning suit complete with a deep red waistcoat. Rose and Alice were wearing empire line dresses in a matching red and would have mid length faux fur trimmed, hooded cloaks. I would be wearing a mid length, fur collared embroidered coat over my dress.

Dragging my eyes away from Emmett, I finally looked at myself. My dress was off the shoulder, A line cut with a basque waist and celtic embroidery on the bodice and three quarter length sleeves. The embroidery was on the back panel and small train that fanned out from the bottom of the skirt. My hair had been pulled into a low knot with curls framing my face. Sue's silver combs that I had worn at the registry office, held the beautiful intricately woven irish lace veil in place at the back of my head. We would pull it forward over my face just before I began my walk down the aisle.

"Thankyou…for making me look…" I began to whisper to Rose and Alice, but was stopped by the painful lump of tears I felt forming in my throat.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Alice growled springing forward dabbing at my eyes " It helps that you are fantastically gorgeous to start with…but how you look, how you feel today, has nothing to do with what Rose and I have done, the dress any of it…"

"I know…" The glow of happiness and contentment I seemed to be radiating from the inside out, had been caused by the happiness, love and security that I had only, would only ever get from Carlisle.

It's time honey." Alice said softly.

She was heavily pregnant and her face was a little swollen and pale, but she had never looked more beautiful.

The sun was just starting to sink behind the trees as we stepped outside. We had decided, before the fire to do something different and have an evening service. The sharp streams of light made me wince slightly. My eyes were still sensitive, and I wore glasses at the moment to try and balance out the slight blurring. But as long as I could see Carlisle's face and the faces of the ones I loved clearly, I didn't care how long I had wait for the rest to come into focus. After a few photo's, Rose and Emmett helped me into the back of one of the vintage Rolls Royce's, complete with running boards, that were taking us to the church.

"Now…have you got everything? Something old? Oh yes…your lingerie…why the hell…" Alice began.

"Carlisle likes this one." I said firmly. It was the champagne silk slip that I had worn on our official wedding night in July. When we would actually celebrate our anniversary was still under discussion. Of course Carlisle's solution was simple-celebrate it on both days.

"Something new? Check." Alice barked, her tone comically business like. My hand rose to touch the necklace that Carlisle had bought me as a wedding present. Ropes of silver and white gold were knotted together, in special celtic knots at intervals, before a large tear drop consisting of our initials fell from the centre. After she had checked borrowed and blue from her imaginary clip board, Alice had gone to close the door, just as her cell phone started to sing. It had been singing all morning as she liased with the caterers and other members of the other small army she had formed to give Carlisle and I the wedding "we deserved" as she put it.

"WHAAA…I know it's a small village…but there's got to be enough…she's pregnant…and? So am I…about to pop any day now for god's sake….bye sweetie…" she said turning to me with a sweet smile before slamming the door.

"Should I be scared?" I asked only half jokingly.

"Not as scared as those poor fools she's talking too…" he replied with a chuckle.

The car set off at a stately pace down the long winding drive of Embry's house Grenville lodge.

"I just wanted to say…I really am…honoured…that you asked me of all people to give you away. I really thought you might ask Jasper…I mean…he…you and he work together…"Emmett stammered nervously.

"You and I work together…"I said.

"You know what I mean…" he huffed.

"Emmett…" I began, taking his large, shaking hand in my own. "I meant what I said before. You were there for me, when I was at my most vulnerable, my most terrified. You weren't Carlisle it's true, but you made me feel safe…protected…and believe it or not…you kept me calm, took my mind off everything. I didn't have to say anything…you just knew…when to talk, when to be quiet. And today…I need that." I said sincerely leaning over and kissing his cheek softly.

"Aww hell…and Rosie's got my hankies…" he sniffled, rubbing his large hands across his face.

We had soon moved through Grenville and were on the long, winding road which linked it to Harrowview. Proving my point about knowing what I needed, Emmett was chattering about how the first time he had joined Carlisle and Jasper for a weekend with Embry, Embry had offered to drive them to the station. Carlisle and Jasper knew about this little joke, but Emmett had sat in the back seat pale faced with fright as blind Embry had driven the car down Grenville lodges drive to where Carlisle's car was waiting by the gates.

We arrived in Harrowview, and the car began to move slowly along main street which was decorated for Christmas with displays of lights strung from lampposts which shone brightly in the now dark sky, and a large fully decorated Christmas tree on the village green. But as we approached the imposing church which sat right at the end of the street, I noticed smaller flickering lights on either side of the street and heard singing. Opening the window slightly, I saw people from the village were slowly walking on either side of the street, holding candles and singing Christmas carols.

Whilst on bed rest, Alice had discovered that Legend and Medieval law had stated that the Lord of a manor such as this, could claim prima nocti, or first time, wedding night rights over any girl in the village who was getting married. To try and avoid this, lots of villagers began getting married at night far out in the forest. To help the bride find her way to the altar, the guests would guide her in a candle lit procession whilst softly singing. In our case, it was the evil Lady of the manor who had been attempting to ruin our wedding, but it drew nothing from the drama and the romance of the idea in Alice's head. With Embry, Edward, Sue and local gossip Mrs Roper's help, Alice had rallied the people of the village to recreate the tradition for me and Carlisle. The procession followed me right to the doors of the church.

"Thank you so much…" I had stammered to them all, when with Emmett's help I managed to get out of the car. Several of the women and little girls had said how pretty I looked.

"How long have you been waiting for us? You must be frozen." I fretted.

"S'not been that long…and we got hot chocolate and biscuits…" one little boy said excitedly.

" We know you've been through a lot Lady Cullen, you and his Lordship, but we hope you can put that behind you and…come to see Harrowview as a home for you both. A place, where you can both find a bit of peace." David Felburn, the man I would later discover was head of the Town council said solemnly, but with genuine warmth.

"Thank you…" I said. I really hoped we could as well.

"Well, there won't be any peace for anyone if his Lordship has to wait for his bride much longer…" Alice said to him sweetly, as she and Rose hurried up to me from the other car they had travelled in.

"Alice…" I whispered tearfully,

"Hush now…that waterproof mascara can only handle so much..." she huffed as she fussed around me. She gave a small squeak as I hugged her fiercely. "I told you…I wanted you both to have the wedding you deserved. Something that showed how much…we love you…" she growled lowly, squeezing me back just as fiercely, before pulling back with a slight hiss.

"Al?" I said alarmed.

"I'm fine…I'm fine, it's just bubba…she's thinking of the big piece of wedding cake a glass of bubbly that's coming." Alice laughed.

As she was almost due, Alice's doctor had said that she would be okay to have a drink at the reception.

"Oh thank god you're here. He's on the verge of sending out a full scale search party." Edward babbled nervously as he hurried out of the church towards us. I had my back to him whilst Rose pulled my veil over my face. When I turned to tell him I was on my way, I saw a miriade of different emotions flicker over his face, pride…but mainly brotherly love and support. He couldn't hug me because of my dress, so he simply squeezed and kissed my hand before hurrying back into the church.

Later, when I had time to really think and let myself remember what really was the happiest day of my life so far, I would remember the inside of the church was bathed in the soft, warm light of the tall church candles along the walls and the medieval style candelabra hanging from the ceiling. The Irish band that had played at Embry's birthday, were up in the musicians gallery playing a beautiful piece of harp and flute music. But in that moment, the only thing I was focusing on was waiting for me at the altar looking breathtakingly handsome in his dark morning suit. The soft glow of the candle light caught his blonde hair, making him look truly angelic.

"Carlisle…breathe…" I heard Edward chuckle softly.

"Don't think I can…" Carlisle stammered, his voice rough with emotion.

But a few moments later, it was my turn to be rendered speechless and breathless. Slowly, tenderly, Carlisle lifted my veil. It was the one part of the wedding he had been dreaming about more than most he would tell me later.

I had never felt more grateful for regaining my sight as I had at that moment. Carlisle face had broken into a beautiful soft smile, but it was eyes. His fathomless blue pools were shining with unshed tears and practically glowing with love, happiness, contentment and also desire. I could only hope, he saw the same things looking back at him. He took my hands gently in his, raising them to his lips to kiss.

"I…can't find words my love…" he whispered.

" As long as you manage the important ones…I and do…I think she'll be happy." Emmett said with a knowing wink. It eased the emotional tension brilliantly.

Our vows past in a bit of a blur. The amount of time it took for the priest to say Carlisle's full name had caused a laugh. As had my unintentional response of 'hell yes' instead of I do. Before we knew it, we heard the words we had both been dreaming of.

"I now re pronounce you Man and Wife..."

"For always…" Carlisle whispered. His hands cupping my face

"And forever." I breathed as his lips claimed mine.

There's an old song that says "It started with a kiss", and it was true. In that brief, but incredibly tender and passionate kiss, Carlisle and I told each other in a way more powerful than words, that we were both going to let go of the pain and fear of the past and truly start to live our future…whatever it held…together.

"Ladies and Gentle men…I beg you please raise your glasses for the first appearance in public…of the true Lord and Lady Cullen…" Embry had boomed following a small squeeze from Alice to let him know that we were in position at the top of the stairs. I had only come upstairs to remove my veil and change my shoes. It would mean I was a few inches shorter than Carlisle, but tonight I didn't care, I couldn't think of anything better than gazing up at him all night and resting burying my head in the crook of his neck when we danced. Alice however had thought the two of us coming hand in hand down the staircase would be a great way for us to make a grand first entrance. And so, we walked down the stairs, the banisters of which had been wound with plaits of fairy lights and flowers into the main hall, to the sound of applause from the guests who were enjoying champagne before dinner was served. We were hugged and congratulated by a never ending stream of well wishers and we loved every minute. Bella had given us a few tips on 'working a room', apparently according to Rose, when she had suggested that we let go of each other's hands, each take a side of the room and meet in the middle, we had both looked at her as if she was totally crazy and moved closer together.

"I always hoped…dreamed I'd see this day…but it, you…it's more beautiful than I could ever have imagined." Sue had said tearfully, embracing us both in a shockingly tight hug.

"Well, it might never have happened. If you hadn't have, had the courage to do what you did…thank you mum…" Carlisle said, his voice rough with emotion as he wrapped her up in a big hug.

"May I kiss the beautiful bride properly now?" Edward asked walking up to us.

"What would you do if I said no?" Carlisle teased.

"Um…do it anyway." Edward had replied with a devilish twinkle in his eye. He kissed me sweetly on both cheeks.

"Mae, you truly are a vision…"

"Crawler." Carlisle growled.

"Lucky bastard…" Edward replied sweetly, earning himself a hard slap on the arm from Sue. "Mae…you know how…what…I feel about you…and as such, I hope you know, I will quite happily kick his ass if he upsets you." Edward chuckled.

"And if you all don't move into the dining room right now…I will kick all your asses." Alice said sweetly walking up behind us.

"There she is..our very own fairy godmother…Alice, this…" Carlisle said waving his arm round the room.

"is fabulous, beautiful…amazing…you're welcome sweetie…but we really need to eat now…" Alice said tightly.

"Alice…are you okay?" I said genuinely concerned by her pale face and the slightly trembling hand she offered me.

"Fine…just hungry…as always…" she joked.

The large formal dining room was decorated with large silk banners hanging from the ceiling, more candles, and garlands of silk flowers and twinkling lights. There was also a large decorated Christmas tree behind the top table where Carlisle, me, and the rest of the wedding party were sitting. Smartly dressed waiters and waitresses, flitted quickly between the tables where the other guests were sat serving them dinner. To be different, we had decided to a full British roast dinner, but done the Michelin star way. The wedding cake, which Carlisle didn't know about yet, was a chocolate fudge cake made by the bakery down the street from our apartment. We both hated the traditional fruit wedding cake and had way too much love for the fudge cake.

My eyes immediately snapped to my left when I heard Alice's loud hiss echo down the table. The room was full of chatter from the guest's tables and music from the Irish band up on the gallery, but my ears were still very sensitive from when I had had to rely on them instead of my eyes.

"Jasper! Please stop fussing…I'm fine…"

Alice had said that the reason she had been so cranky was because she was hungry, however her meal had been barely touched and she looked…

"Right…I think you are all drunk enough now…so I think I can hit you with my speech." Edward joked to laughter from the room. I listened, but unfortunately, only with one ear. My attention was still on Alice, who was shifting restlessly in her seat.

"Okay…so this isn't a great start, she's stopped listening to me already…" I heard Carlisle say, but it wasn't until I heard the rest of the room laughing, that I realized that he was actually talking to…me.

I mouthed a sorry, and focused my attention on my wonderful husband. Who was standing and gazing down at me with nothing but love and adoration.

"I beg you now, to forgive me for my unashamed sentimentality. But be honest, you all come to weddings to enjoy a good cry…the men as well as the women…" he joked, casting a fond look at Emmett who had sniffled his way through the service.

"I am not, going to be called out by a man who cries watching Oprah…" Emmett had growled back playfully. Carlisle had flushed an adorable pink colour.

"Anyway…" Carlisle said roughly, shaking his head.

I didn't hear all of his words I was too busy just looking at him, drinking in his incredible looks, whilst reveling in the love for me that was shining in his eyes.

" …If I could have just one wish, I would wish to wake up everyday, to the sound of your breath on my neck, the warmth of your lips on my cheek and to feel your heart beating with mine. Knowing that I could never, find that feeling with anyone other than you…these words have always summed up how I feel about Mae… Mae has always hated being called by her full given name of Esme…but I have always secretly liked it, as it's meaning…is 'to love'. And I am genuinely convinced, that for us to have gone through everything we have and come out the other side stronger than ever, she truly was sent for me to love…and more amazingly…to love me…" he said, his voice cracking with emotion. We were only vaguely aware of the cheers of the crowd as we kissed. But we both clearly heard the sharp squeal from Alice.

"Alice…how long have you been having contractions?"

"They started yesterday afternoon…they went away for awhile…I thought…I thought they were those Braxton Hicks… but this morning…today, they've become more painful…and now…they hurt like hell…" she stammered, fisting Jasper's jacket a little tighter as another wave of pain hit her.

After Alice's waters had broken at the table, Emmett and Edward had carried her, on the chair she was sitting on up to one of the bedrooms. We had called an ambulance, but from what Edward's brief examination had found, we were likely to have another wedding guest sooner rather than later. Even at the speed Jasper drove, Edward wasn't sure they'd make it to the hospital ten miles away.

"Well honey that's because you're not far off pushing. It seems little girl Whitlock may be about to crash the wedding."

"I…I told you…she'd make her entrance somewhere glamourous…" Alice chuckled weakly, referring back to conversation last week in the court toilets.

"Al, you should have said something…" Carlisle began leaning forward on his hands, that were resting on the bottom bed panel. Jasper was knelt at her side, whilst the rest of us, bar Emmett who was downstairs with the guests, were scattered round the room.

"Please…please don't be cross with me Carlisle…I'm sorry…I just wanted today to be perfect for you…and now…now I've ruined it…" she wailed, burying her head in Jasper's chest.

"Alice…Alice look at me…" Carlisle said in a gentle, yet firm voice. We were all worried, scared to death, she was supposed to have a Caesarian. The doctor hadn't said she couldn't give birth naturally, but because she was so small in stature, he didn't want to take the chance of the baby getting stuck. And neither did we. Carlisle was doing what he did best, taking charge of a stressful situation. Jasper, cool, laid back, unflappable Jasper was pale faced and looked like he was feeling every spasm of pain Alice was.

"Today was…is…better than I…we could ever could have dreamed…" he said wrapping an arm round me as I came to stand next to him. It tore at my heart seeing Alice looking so fragile and scared. Her tiny frame looked huge in the big bed.

"And having our goddaughter crash the party…best wedding present ever…" I laughed. "But you and she being healthy…that means more to us than anything…"

Rose whispered a few words to Alice, and gave her a gentle squeeze before turning on her heel. She and Bella were going to go and help Emmett and Embry with the guests.

"Rose…could you and Bella give me a hand getting changed…" I asked.

"Whaat? Nooo, you have to go cut the cake…have your first dance…" Alice whimpered. After a brief argument, we agreed to go down and cut the cake, but we would have our first dance only when the baby was safely delivered.

"You won't be long?" Jasper had almost pleaded as he walked with us to the door.

"We'll be straight back I promise…we'll join Danny and the others in the library pacing."

"No…I need, Al needs you in here…please…" he begged. "I trust Edward, I do…but what if…what if something goes wrong?"

We couldn't give him the guarantee he needed all we could do, was promise him we would return as soon as possible.

We re-entered the dining room to find Emmett in the middle of the dance floor Irish dancing with our well very merry guests. We did as we promised and quickly cut the cake.

"And I was looking forward to you smushing it in my face…" Carlisle pouted playfully as he swallowed the mouthful I had offered him.

"Well, if you're a very good boy. I might smush some cake on you later…then lick it off." I purred.

"You are a very naughty girl Mrs Cullen."

"You love it." I said over my shoulder as we made our way back to the stairs.

"Oh god yes." He growled.

"Give the Pixie my love…" Emmett said quietly stepping infront of us, just as we reached the door.

"Of course…she's going to be okay…they both are…" Carlisle said patting his arm. Emmett nodded, trusting and drawing strength from Carlisle.

"Okay people! I feel a CONGA coming on!" Emmett boomed suddenly to the room. We stopped for a moment and watched as he cajoled the guests, some of which were aristocracy into a conga line. He was a true showman and entertainer.

We arrived back upstairs, to hear Alice's voice echoing loudly down the corridor as she belted out Irish rebel songs with Danny. We entered the bedroom to find a red faced Alice, on all fours propped up on pillows. Danny was sitting by the left side of her head, encouraging her to sing through the pain. Jasper was on her right, rubbing her back and singing with her.

"Is this a private party?" I joked.

"Mae! Mae stay where I can see you…please…I need something to focus on…" Alice begged. I knelt down infront of her.

"So, it looks like…after years of waiting…you guys get what you've always wanted today as well…" I said smiling at both her and Jasper.

"Mae…I'm scared…" she whimpered.

"I know…" I said running my hand over sweat soaked hair. "What if she… is born without the shopping gene like her Aunty Mae?" I choked.

"Danny…"

"Yes me darling?" the old man said. He and Embry had delivered babies in worse places and in more difficulties than this during their various postings in the army. Edward had made Embry the proudest he's ever been by calling him into help. Edward would describe and Embry would advise. Danny was there to keep Alice, the girl he regarded as a daughter and Jasper, the son he always wanted calm.

"No, her…the babies name is Danni, Danielle Mae Whitlock." Jasper said.

And twenty minutes later, Miss Danielle Mae Whitlock made her entrance into the world. Thankfully only five minutes, before the ambulance, who was finally free from the Saturday night drunks in the main town, arrived. Alice would need a few stitches and careful monitoring, but from what Edward who was riding with them in the ambulance could see, both mother and baby were doing well.

The wedding guests were congaing back in the door, stopped to give them a quiet round of applause.

"Proud of you squirt." Emmett said roughly.

"Ahh…I really wanted to see your first dance…" Alice sighed.

"Remind me again why, we are in the middle of a hospital car park, with a five piece band, at nearly midnight, in December, in our wedding clothes?" Carlisle growled.

"Two reasons. The first being…" I said pointing up to the second floor window, where Alice was sat in wheelchair, holding baby Danni and beaming down at us. We had come to the hospital, once had said goodbye to our guests, and rescued Emmett from the lusty advances of a few of the older female guests.

Alice was exhausted and very sore, but I had never seen her look more beautiful. And baby Danielle was beautiful. She already had a shock of dark hair, and we were all convinced her eyes were going to stay blue like Jasper's. But even if she didn't inherit Jasper's eye colour, it seemed pretty certain, that she was going to have his long legs and lean frame judging by what we could already see. She was truly beautiful and Jasper adored her already judging by the goofy grin on his face. Carlisle wasn't far behind. He had held her with such tenderness and care, I had almost drawn blood on my lower lip whilst trying not to cry.

"You guys next…you never know…could come back from your honeymoon with more than a tan and few souveneirs…" Alice chuckled dirtily.

It had been brief, but I had seen the intense look Carlisle had given me at her words.

"Now…seeing as it'll be a while before you can use our other present…" I had said. We had bought them, a holiday at a five star resort in Mexico as a thankyou present for all their love and support over the wedding and life these last few months.

That was how we ended up about to have our first dance in a hospital car park.

"What's the other reason?" Carlisle asked me, pulling me out of my reverie.

"Mmm, oh…it's been over twenty four hours since I've been in your arms. And you know people say married couples shouldn't let the sun set on an argument?"

He nodded.

"Well I…am not going to let the sun rise, without being in your arms…and telling you, how…very much I love you…at least once…"

As it turned out, I would tell Carlisle much more than once, how much I loved him during our dance and the rest of the night that followed.

**AN: Hope you like. I know the wedding probably doesn't have as much detail as some of you would like. And the birth was quick, I just figured we have had enough drama for a couple of chaps. The next chap is honeymoon and will contain at least two lemons. Just a little advance warning. Lol! **

**And yes Mae and Carlisle will have a baby, but not necessarily yet. Tell me what you think.**

**Scribex**

_._


	20. Chapter 20

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN: Thankyou all, for your wonderful comments about the wedding and the arrival of baby Danielle. So happy you liked it. If it were possible, I would send Emmett round to all of your houses with wedding cake!lol. So, this chap is honeymoon and is therefore M rated.**

**ESME POV**

I couldn't help the small squeal that escaped me as Carlisle reached up, gripped my hips firmly and swept me off the boat into his arms bridal style. Calling a thank you and something else I didn't quite catch over his shoulder to the captain of the boat, Carlisle strode through the surf to the beach.

We had, after a seemingly endless journey, finally reached the private Island that Peter and Charlotte owned were we were going to spend our honeymoon.

"So, here we are…finally" I chuckled. We had planned to fly out of London the day after Christmas, but bad weather and an air traffic control strike, meant that it was almost three days before we left, having to stay in a hotel near the airport incase the weather lifted or the strike ended. Finally, just as Carlisle was going to spend a ridiculous amount of money on chartering a private plane, both the bad weather and the strike came to an end.

"Yes we are…all alone…on a tropical island…just the two of us…with no one around…to…see…or…hear…" Carlisle growled. His tounge, was running over his lower lip in the most sinful way between each word, causing my entire body to begin flushing with need for him.

"Why Mr Cullen! Whatever are you planning on doing with me?" I teased my tone more than a little breathy. Carlisle's lips twitched into a sexy smirk that sent another rush of need rushing to my heated core. Slowly, gently, and making sure that my body was kept as close to his as possible, Carlisle lowered me to my feet. We both moaned at the sensation my body sliding down his created. I stood before him, staring up him, transfixed and speechless by the sight of him…his face, bathed in the moonlight that was streaming down all around us.

"Well first…" he began, cupping my face in his hands and brushing my lips with his own, "I was going to start with, one of…now…what it you…call them?"he breathed, his lips brushed my lips, my nose and my rapidly closing eyes repeatedly. "Oh yes…a knee trembling kiss…it has been…a…while…but…I think…I can still…remember…the…basics…" he chuckled. I whimpered as he proceeded to snag my lower lip in his mouth and suck it gently. My arms wound their way round his neck tightly, as I fought to stay up right on quickly weakening legs. It had been so…so…too long. Our kisses were always loving, passionate, but there hadn't been the time for us, for me, to really luxuriate in and rediscover just how amazing just a kiss could really be. His tounge, then began tracing the outline of my lips, asking very sweetly for entrance into my mouth, which I was more than eager to give. But despite it having been awhile, the intense, sweet torture of strokes, nips, licks and gentle sucks that he subjected me to, proved that Carlisle had lost none of his 'technique.' When we both, reluctantly had to break for air, he was literally holding me up.

"Not…not bad…considering…" I said weakly.

"No…but I'm planning to…get…a little…practice in…improve…my technique…" he moaned into my neck, the place where he had moved his lips to let me breath.

"Practice is good…" I sighed.

"Glad you agree love…" he said. I could feel his smile against my skin.

"Was there anything else? You…you…said…that…was the first thing…you were going to do…to…with me…" I babbled. My head was spinning as I tipped it back to give him better access to my neck.

"Yes I did…but…I think…they'd be better done…inside…for now…" he growled, sweeping my boneless form back up into his arms.

Carlisle's eyes were hooded deep blue pools, shining with such intense love and need that it made me whimper and clutch at him desperately. It seemed that one of the other things Carlisle wanted to do, was to slip the straps of my sundress from my shoulders, with warm, soft hands. Then, when he had moaned long and low at the sight of seeing it pool at my feet, he had then used those wonderful, skilled, torturing hands and, just to add to the sweetest of tortures, his dangerous and sinful mouth, to remove my underwear. Leaving me naked and shivering with need and desire, as I watched him quickly remove his own clothes, before crawling, slowly, back up my body, making sure I could feel every inch of him, including his impressive arousal.

"Carlisle…please…more…I need more of you my darling…" I moaned, dipping my head so I could lave the soft, salty skin of his collarbones with my tounge, whilst my hands and nails roamed the broad planes of his back, coming to rest on his ass, which I proceeded to caress, squeeze and push on in attempt to draw him nearer.

"Can I…come inside you Mae?" he stammered as his head fell back in pleasure.

"Oh god yess…" I whimpered, my hands running along his shoulders and down the trembling arms he had either side of my head. We both cried out at the feel of being reconnected.

"Do you know…how much…I love and…adore you…my…beautiful…brave…wife…?" Carlisle breathed in between his long, deep and torturously slow thrusts inside me. "Thank…youuu, for coming back…for loving meee…"

"Love you too…sooo much…" I moaned, my body almost completely arching beneath his, as the combination of his hot breath and lips ghosting over my painfully sensitive skin, and the intensity of his words, began dragging me even closer to the edge of blissful oblivion. "But not brave…was so scared… but you…" I moved my hands beneath his shoulders, moving his body, which was already flush with mine, even closer, so that it was almost crushing me against the mattress. "You…you make me strong…you take away…the darkness… the fear… you took me back…dreamed…saved me…you…need…want…only you…" I babbled. I could feel hot tears, beginning to leak from the corners of my eyes and course down my cheeks. They stung my still slightly raw and sensitive eyes but I didn't care.

My words seemed to have the same effect on Carlisle's body as his had had on mine, as I felt his thrusts become more erratic as he twitched and grew inside me.

"Us…it's us…against…the world... usss…alwaaaaysss" he growled lowly, using the words of the song I had written as a birthday /wedding present, to spring the painfully tight coil of need deep inside me.

"Usss…yes…us…." I moaned attempting, to wrap my leg higher up his hip and pull him closer.

"MAE! OH GOD! I'm…Oh…" he moaned, long and low as my muscles began clamping down almost painfully hard around him.

"Carlisle…look at me…please…please look at me." I whimpered as I saw his eyes begin to close at the feel of his release crashing over him. It was a struggle for both of us, but we both managed to see the truth of the declarations of love we had just made, reflected in each other's eyes as, making full use of the fact that we were truly alone, we crashed over the edge screaming each other's names.

"Noo, please…" I whined as after managing to bring his erratic breathing under control, Carlisle attempted to roll off of me.

With a half amused, half exsasperated sigh, Carlisle rolled us so that I was lying on top of him, my head resting in the crook of his neck.

"Okay?" he asked softly. His hand tracing lazy patterns down my back.

"Not bad…" I chuckled. I felt his soft chuckle in his chest.

"Just incase I didn't make myself quite clear just now…incase you didn't hear me…I love you Mrs Cullen…" Carlisle said tightening his grip around me and rolling us, so I was back on the mattress with him looming over me.

"Oh…I heard you Mr Cullen" I purred, reaching up and slipping my hand in this hair. His eyes dropped to meet mine. I had tried to describe to Embry what Carlisle looked like when this first happened, but in the time since I had had my sight back, I realized I hadn't done him justice. I had heard other women, refer to him as a 'Greek God"…but they were right…kind of. Carlisle's features were striking, but it was what I insisted where laugher lines, around his fathomless blue eyes, the small dent between his brows that appeared when he was thinking, the old and new scars on his body, his crooked little finger, his footballers feet that he hated, but I loved, that made him truly beautiful to me…the small little things that only I noticed and loved…that made him mine. Made him love him with everything I had. And pulling him down to me, and crashing my lips to his, I proceeded to try and demonstrate that fact.

"Okay, so the first must have for our new house…a big deck and a hammock…" I mumbled sleepily into Carlisle's chest.

A week into our honeymoon, and we had fallen into a lazy pattern of waking early, usually thanks to each other's wandering hands or mouths, falling back to sleep before making breakfast together and then exploring the beautiful island where the villa was located. The white sandy beach ran right round one side of the island, the other side was covered in a lush forest that was full of little clearings and an amazing little waterfall that flowed into a swimming hole. We had spent New Years Eve by the waterfall, drinking champagne and watching the fireworks from the mainland exploding in the sky.

Afternoons were spent sleeping, making love, reading, talking and laughing. Really laughing about stupid things that nobody else would find funny. We finally had the time just to be Carlisle and Mae…to rediscover what we had seen in each other, other than an overwhelming physical attraction. And we were both, loving every moment of it…even when we did start to bicker. One of our favourite places to talk, was in the hammock on the large covered terrace, where we could just lay wrapped in each others arms and gaze at the breath taking view.

"Mmm, that's doable, but I think we're going to struggle to find a view like this to look at whilst we lay in it…" he chuckled softly.

"True, maybe we should just buy this house from Peter and Charlotte and live here…" I mused.

"We could…" Carlisle agreed. "But the commute to work would be a bit rough…" he laughed. "Mae…Mae…stop…there are laws against assaulting a police officer…you know…" he stammered as he tried to avoid my tickling hands.

"Not here there aren't…here…you are just my Carlisle…my husband…and I can do…whatever I like…" I purred crashing my lips to his "whenever I…like…" I said feathering his jaw and the edge of his lips with kisses. "Do you have a problem with that?" I challenged playfully. I could both see, and feel his answer, so I was more than a little shocked when he said yes. My shock must have shown on my face.

"My love, I am completely at your mercy…but can we please…please…not fall out of the hammock again?" he pleaded looking genuinely pained. I couldn't help the fit of giggles that escaped me, especially when he started to pout.

"Aww…I'm sorry baby…" I crooned, nibbling on his protruding lower lip. "Is your…derriere still a little sore?"

We had got a little carried away in the hammock the other night, and landed in a heap on the deck. Carlisle's back and ass taking the brunt of the impact, he had very sore looking bruises on both cheeks. He nodded.

"Weell, why don't we take a soothing dip in the hot tub…then…once I've given you a good rub down, I will concentrate very hard on kissing those nasty bruises better…" I crooned.

"What else do you want in our new house? And are you certain you want to have a house?" Carlisle asked softly. We were in the hot tub, Carlisle sitting between my legs, his back against my front and his head rested on my shoulder. I loved to see him like this, his long lean body totally relaxed and what I loved even more, was the fact that it was me, my touch, my embrace, that helped him relax.

"Yes…if you don't mind. I've lived in apartments all my life. I'd really love a house, the space to have stuff…your stuff, my stuff…our stuff…" I couldn't help the shiver of pleasure that flowed through me as I thought about Carlisle and I having our own place, a place with no memories of the past filling it, taking up the space of the new memories we were both so anxious to create.

"Why would I mind? I've dreamt of us having our own house…with a big lounge diner for when every comes over, a garden, a little office maybe where I could…how many bedrooms do you want?" he said, quickly changing the subject before finishing explaining what he would want an office for. When Carlisle did bring paperwork home, he usually spread himself out over the dining table. He always said that he spent enough time cooped up in his office, the last thing he wanted was to come home just to go into another office.

"Um, well…if you'd like an office…and it would have to be quite large Carlisle…you aren't exactly tidy…" I teased. I was deliberately playing for time before answering him about the number of rooms.

"Uh…cheek!" he laughed, splashing some water back at me, but not moving his head from my shoulder. "I'll have you know, I have my own unique filing system…true it may look a little chaotic, but I know exactly where everything is…" he huffed.

" If you say so love." I chuckled.

"I do." He said nodding his head. "Now how many rooms?"

"Five…" I whispered.

"Mae…Mae you're shaking…Mae?" Carlisle demanded, sitting up and turning in the water to face me, his face is full of concern.

"You know money isn't a problem…you agreed to a joint mortgage and…"he began to argue. The conversation we had had, following our decision to buy a home of our own, had become quite heated. I still couldn't shake my mother's mantra of never being reliant on a man for money. But we had finally agreed that whilst Carlisle had paid the deposit on our future home, we would then have a joint mortgage and split the bills.

"I know…it's not that…" I reassured him, gripping his forearms to support myself as much as him.

"One of the rooms will be ours, one an office for you to do your secret things you don't want me to know about…" I teased waggling my eyebrows theatrically. He grinned, but his eyes were begging me to continue. "One will be a spare room, probably for Jasper when Alice and Danielle get too much…the other two, I want to be for the children…" I said, my voice trailing off to a barely audible whisper.

"Children?" Carlisle said quietly.

"Our children…" I answered. I couldn't have looked away from his face even if I wanted to. His eyes were full of a hundred different emotions, but the ones that became most dominant the longer I looked at him, were love and excitement. But again he surprised me, by standing up and stepping out of the hot tub.

"I want us to be comfortable, when we talk about something so important." He said holding out a hand to me.

We were now dry, but still naked and lying on our sides on the bed facing each other.

"So we're having two children?" Carlisle said, a small smile twitching his lips as he reached over and tucked my hair behind my ear, his fingers ghosting lightly over my skin.

"Boy and a girl…" I replied.

"Could be two boys, two girls…we could have more…"

"Nope." I said shaking my head slightly. The moment I had seen Carlisle cradling Danielle in his arms, seen the look in his eyes, the jagged piece of my broken heart had fitted back into place. I would never forget the child I had lost, neither would Carlisle, but it was time. It was time for us to cement the bond we had created, to ensure that our love, it's legacy, really would live on Always and Forever by having a child. Or children as my startlingly vivid dreams of the last couple of weeks had said.

"Two…a boy and a girl…I mean, it won't happen straight away…I'd like us to be settled in our house, the contraceptive will have to come out of my system…that'll take awhile and I might, might… have to have a few tests done first…just to be completely certain, that my body has recovered from…I know it's been seven years and the doctors did say that I should be okay…I just don't want to take any chances…" I babbled.

Carlisle was very quiet, a little too quiet. Jesus, I had just babbled on telling him, that we were going to have two children. What had happened before had affected as much as it had me. It had been his baby too that I had lost.

"So…there's lots of time…and we can wait longer if you need more time…" I said quickly, my hand reaching to touch his face. He caught it, kissing my palm. But kept it held tightly in his own.

"Since I found out about what happened…I have dreamt about seeing you pregnant with our child…" he said roughly as his free hand reached out and began to lightly ghost over my stomach. "Not straight away obviously, I knew we needed time…and I would never want to rush you. Of everything you have been through…this must be the hardest thing to come to terms with…the hardest wound to heal…"

"For you too…" I said shifting closer to him.

"Yes, I was full of angry what if's, I think I may always wonder in my low moments…but, I didn't know. You knew, you had to feel…"

"Stop..." I said roughly, tears were threatening, but I was determined to not let the pain of the past effect the excitement of the future. "We will both never forget the baby we lost, but we…we've said goodbye to him or her…" I said softly, remembering little Kelly's funeral. Carlisle reached out and pulled me closer to him, resting his forehead against my own.

"I'm sorry love…I'm sorry…" he said.

"No, no more sorry's…they stay in the past remember…we're looking forward to our future…in our new house…"

"With our son and daughter…" the excitement, pride and love in his voice as he said the words, seeming to savour the sound of them.

"So, you're happy with us…starting to try…it could take awhile as I said…" the last word had barely left my mouth before Carlisle had moved, his body half covering mine as he pressed me back into the mattress and twisted both hands in my hair.

"Whenever it happens…you will have succeeded in doing the impossible, my beautiful brave girl…you will have made me even happier, made me love you…more than I do already…" Carlisle breathed as he covered my face in butterfly kisses, and gently rubbed my nose with his own affectionately.

"Seeing as your female intuition, which I am not going to argue with, has decided that we are to be blessed with a boy and a girl…I wondered…do they have names?"

"Our son does, but our daughter no…that my love is your responsibility…" I whispered as I slipped my arms around his neck.

"Really?" Carlisle breathed. His face and voice alive with excitement.

"Yes really…Carlisle, I know I've kind of just dropped all this on you…telling you that…"

"You just had the courage to voice what I had been thinking seriously about, since the minute I heard you singing to Danielle…"

"Oh lord…you heard that!" I stammered feeling my embarrassed blush, creeping up my neck. We had all gathered for an early Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve. Rose, me and even Bella, had all chipped in to prepare a full turkey dinner, so all Alice, who was still sore from her stitches, had to do was sit back and relax. Which she did, reluctantly. It was an alien concept to her, not to be fussing over and organizing things, all in the cause of making things perfect for the rest of us.

Danielle had wrapped Jasper, Carlisle, Emmett and Edward round her little finger from the first moment they had seen or held her. Seeing a man of Emmett's size, reduced to a quivering nervous wreck when faced with the prospect of holding a tiny baby for a few minutes had been truly comical. Finally, Danielle was nestled in the crook of one of his huge arms, looking totally at home. She seemed to take after Jasper in temperament already, relaxed and calm till she was hungry, then she was pure Alice, demanding your full attention straight away. She was also a pretty good sleeper and Alice and Jasper hadn't had too many bad nights so far, although Alice had been worried, that she was starting to suffer hallucinations, when she saw a six foot tall teddy bear walking up the drive.

The whip round amongst both the SCI team and uniformed officer at the police station had resulted in the teddy, which was dressed as an old fashioned policeman with a helmet and tunic, taking up residence in the corner of Danielle's nursey.

We had just got Alice to relax a little when we heard Danielle start to whimper.

"She's just been fed and changed…sometimes, she just needs her back rubbed to help her settle to sleep." Jasper said going to stand. He was as eager as us for Alice to take a break.

Alice had asked if I would mind going. It was only now I remembered the twinkle in her eye as she had said it. I had totally forgotten about the baby monitor as I had crooned words of comfort and then sung a few bars of a lullaby my mother had sung to me.

"One of the most beautiful things I have ever heard." Carlisle said pulling me from my reverie.

"I'll remind you, you said that, when you've heard me sing the same song a hundred times when I'm walking the floor with one of ours at three in the morning."I chuckled.

"I can't wait…" Carlisle said as he claimed my mouth in a kiss of such intensity, I was glad to be lying down.

**CARLISLE POV**

I was in that place between waking and sleeping, where you're not sure what is real and what isn't. The sensation of Mae's soft lips and warm tounge dragging, licking and nipping their way up and down my body had been incredibly, pleasurably intense. I had even felt my hips beginning to buck up off the bed of their own accord as her soft, warm hand had wrapped around my semi aroused length, and began to slowly pump me. But however, I soon realized that those sensations must have been the stuff of my imagination, as when her tounge had replaced her hand, coming to a stop at my sensitive tip, which she paid great attention to, the electric shock like currents of electricity that had raced up my spine had literally shocked me back into consciousness.

"Oh God yes Mae…yesss…feels soo good…" I had moaned, one hand reaching behind me to grip the headboard, whilst the other had reached down and twisted itself in her hair. She had hummed softly, the sensations, trailing wonderfully along my length and causing my hips to buck further into her. I babbled nonsense for a few wonderful long moments as she took me all the way in and began sucking me with just the right amount of pressure. She had always been a little nervous of going down on me, her ex Paul had not been a fan of oral sex and had made her feel dirty for offering it. All I could think was the man was an idiot, Mae putting her mouth on me, her technique, the way she knew exactly how to touch me, had given me some of the most intense orgasms of my life. And I was close to having another when the slight scratch from the bandages on Mae's injured hand pulled me back from the edge. Although she the dressing was not as large as it had been and the wound was healing well, I knew she still suffered with it and I knew that doing what she had just done for me was probably a lot more difficult with one hand. But she had done it for me anyway, wanting to give me pleasure. I knew I was being ridiculously emotional and hadn't slept off all the wine from lunch, but I suddenly needed to be inside of her, connected to her, wrapping her in my arms and telling her much I loved her and how happy she made me.

"No my love…it was wonderful…as always…but I need more…I need to be inside you…please…" I moaned, swallowing her whimpers at me halting her ministrations and pulling her up my body in a kiss.

"Well…I need to see you." Mae said firmly pushing on my shoulder to get me to lay back on the mattress. I complied and she was soon straddling me. Taking me in her hand once more, she teased us both by dragging me along her wet folds, but we were both so worked up, it wasn't long before I was where I so badly wanted to be. Deep inside her wet heat.

"So beautiful…my own angel." I had breathed, my hands skimming her sides, before gently palming her breasts.

"Okay copper, confession time…just how much, did you have to drink at lunch? " she chuckled lowly. She began to roll her hips slowly, her hand moving down over my chest.

Our lunch with Peter and Charlotte and been a wonderful, relaxed, in Peter and I's case, boozy affair. As Mae had reminded me earlier that morning, lunch was the least we could do to say thanks to Peter and Charlotte for allowing us the use of their own private hideaway for an entire month. She was right, and I had wanted to explore the mainland, but having Mae all to myself, just having time to breathe…to be, had become addictive and I was greedy. Especially now. We were really moving forward as a couple, planning a home…children. My heart felt like it was going to explode with love and excitement, every time I thought about Mae getting…being pregnant with our child. Our first child. Her determination and certainty, that we were going to have two children had rubbed off on me now, and I would find myself daydreaming about my son and the daughter I had the honour of naming.

"_But don't forget about…the two of you Carlisle. You're newly weds who have been to hell literally and come out the other side. Enjoy yourselves, enjoy each other. It could be months mate before anything happens. Don't let it consume you, don't let sex become something you do because you have to, because it's the optimum time on some damn schedule. Because Carlisle when the baby does finally arrive, the main thing it will need, want is happy parents_…" Peter had said when after much baiting, he had got me to reveal the reason for my faraway, goofy grin. I knew he was right and that he was talking from his own personal, bitter experience. Peter was two years older than me and had been married before Charlotte, to a woman named Amanda who had been five years older than him. He had been twenty three, she twenty eight. They had been genuinely in love, but Amanda had become fixated on giving Peter an 'heir and a spare' to carry on the family name. Amanda had had several miscarriages and although IVF had finally worked, giving them a beautiful daughter called Georgia, the strain of it all had eventually cost Peter and Amanda their three year marriage. Fourteen year old Georgia, now lived in America with Amanda and her new husband, the CEO of a large pharmaceutical company. Peter saw her as often as he could but he still held a lot of regret about the way things had turned out. Charlotte had captivated Peter from the minute they had met. They had spent the last eight years quite happily lost in their own work, testing the medicinal qualities of the flora and fauna of the rainforest. But during our "serious discussions" in the hammock on the deck, Mae and I were in agreement that judging by the way they had fallen beneath Danielle's spell, it wouldn't be long before they started trying for a baby themselves. And as excited as I was by the thought of Mae and I having a baby, I was determined to enjoy being with Mae, being her husband after waiting for so long to get the chance.

_And we got the chance to just be a couple when we arrived on the mainland in Buenos Aires and Peter and Charlotte took us sightseeing. Everything was so bright, loud after the peace and shade of the Island. I had been worried about Mae's eyes, which were still sensitive to bright light, but apart from a couple of minor headaches, the very strong prescription sunglasses she had, made it possible to enjoy everything. And she did. I found myself watching her reactions to what she was looking at, rather than actually looking at things myself. She looked so relaxed, so happy, so eager to drink in every colour, every sight. Buenos Aires was a beautiful cosmopolitan city with wide boulevards, leafy parks and some truly amazing architecture, such as the Colon Opera House and Metropolitan Cathedral. _

"_Okay, now my eyes, as well as my feet hurt." Mae laughed as we stood at the top of the long slopping street that was full of brightly painted houses._

"_That's a shame, I was thinking of painting the front of our new house a nice turquoise…or flamingo pink maybe?" I teased._

"_Do…and you'll be living in it alone buster…" Mae growled playfully grabbing the front of my shirt and kissing me roughly. She had squealed a little as I had pulled her flush against me with one arm, whilst my other hand had begun ghosting lightly up and down her bare arm, down her side, before coming to rest on her backside. She had been wearing a navy blue sleeveless summer dress with gold beading round the neck and hem. It stopped respectively just above her knee and the colour showed off her honey coloured tan beautifully, but what I loved most about it, was that she 'had' she informed me, to wear a thong like underwear beneath it so as not to have a pantyline. That meant I could enjoy 'coping a feel' as she jokingly called it._

"_Okay, I think it's time we put all that sexual tension to good use…" Charlotte crowed with a devilish twinkle in her eye._

"_The Tango is a dance of passsion people…passion…you need to loosen up…move those hips…roll them…imagine you are making love, just standing up." The instructor's translator had barked to those of us on the floor of the Tango house that Charlotte had dragged us too. Ever anxious to be good husband's, Peter and I had allowed ourselves to be dragged up onto the dance floor, but not until after we had eaten lunch and had several large drinks. The potent alcohol, the intimacy of the venue, the beat of the music and the chance to hold Mae so closely and intimately in public had helped me overcome my nerves._

"_C'mon Cullen…I know you can move those hips better than that." Mae had purred in my ear, rolling her own hips in a torturously slow but incredibly pleasurable rhythm against me…_

Just like she was doing now

"Not enough, to stop me seeing what an incredibly…beautiful…sensual woman I am lucky enough to be married to…" I replied, the thumb of one hand teasing one of her pebbled nipples, whilst the fingers of the other hand gently rolled the other. "Every man on that dance floor was looking at you Mae…watching you move…"

_We had picked up the steps so well, that the instructor had pulled us and another couple, to the front of the class to demonstrate how it was done. We were both a little embarrassed to being with, but as soon as the music had started again and our bodies had instinctively fused together and began to move, we had been lost in each other. I could not have looked away from Mae's eyes, which had been alive with desire and love even if I had wanted to, such was the intensity of her gaze. _

"But I thought, let them look…only I get to touch…to feel…how fucking amazing…it feels to have your amazing body grinding against me…only I get to hear you…call my name…" I growled, allowing one hand to move from her breast and trail down her body until it came to rest at where we were so intimately joined.

"Oh Christ Carlisle…yesss." Mae almost screamed as I toyed with her swollen clit. The sight of her writhing above me, her head thrown back with pleasure went straight to my cock. I sat up, raising my knees behind her so they were resting against her back. We both moaned at the added depth, the change in position had given us. It was a very intimate, protective position, but it seemed to suit both our needs.

"Only ever you…Mr Cullen… only you" she moaned, her hands finding their usual hands in my hair.

"Again…say it again…" I had growled against her pulse point, the current location of my mouth. I felt myself begin to twitch within her slick walls, and began to thrust up into her.

"Only you…Mr Cullen…only you do this…make me feel…thiiiisss goood" Mae whimpered, emphasizing the words she knew I wanted to hear. "my breathtakingly handsome… loving… sexy as hell…hus…band…" at that last word Mae claimed my mouth in a messy hot kiss, and clamped her muscles down tightly around me, holding me firmly in place.

"Ungh…shit…Maeee…" I had growled long and low round the edges of our kiss. Through my haze of pleasure, I became vaguely aware of her smirking, just before she…did it again. The pleasure was almost too much, such was its intensity, I collapsed back onto the mattress, feeling almost helpless beneath her as she began to ride me back towards the edge of release. The late afternoon sun filtering through the slats of the blinds that covered all the windows, was once more bathing her in a warm glow that caught the highlights in her tumbling curls.

"Kiss mee…" I begged roughly.

I barely had time to cry out at the feel of the change of angle again before Mae claimed my mouth.

"Come…for…me…my love…let me see you…" Mae growled against my lips. And as always, what Mae wanted, Mae got. I came powerfully and noisily calling out my love to her.

A couple of hours later, I was in the kitchen making ommlettes when I felt Mae press her body against my back and kiss my shoulder.

"What's cooking? good lookin?" she asked softly.

"Ommlettes…bacon and mushroom." I replied turning my head slightly and kissing her. "I figured if all our little siesta's were going to be as…energetic as that one… not that I'm complaining…we could do with a little protein and energy…"I chuckled.

"You're dressed." I pouted as I turned and faced her was wearing incredibly short, shorts that made her long tanned legs look endless, and a vest. She had pulled her hair up into a ponytail, but there were still stray curls framing her face.

"So are you." She laughed letting her hands wander over my short clad backside.

"Well, hot fat, sharp knifes…didn't want to take any chances…" I chuckled.

"Very wise…mmm, smells great…I am a hungry as it happens. Today was fun…thank you…" she said kissing me lightly then moving quickly to set the table.

"Um…I know I had a bit to drink, but I still think I should be the one thanking you…for letting me shamelessly grope you…I mean dance with you in public…"

"Oh my love, I enjoyed groping…dancing with you…as well…" Mae chuckled.

We ate in companionable silence for a few minutes.

"This is really good…but I didn't think we had all this left in the fridge?" Mae said finally.

"We didn't, Hector came a day early apparently, there is a small storm forecast for tomorrow."

Hector was the captain of the boat that bought us to and from the Island and dropped off fresh groceries once aweek.

"It's only a small storm love, we'll be quite safe…I won't let the lightening get you…" I said chuckling softly. Mae was scared of thunder and lightening. Had been since child hood, when she had been woken in the middle of the night by a violent storm, only to find that the electricity had been knocked out and that her mother still wasn't home from work, leaving her alone and scared. "We can even stay in bed, under the covers if you like…"

"Will you read to me?" she pouted, her tone childishly pleading as she looked up at me from beneath her lashes. "please."

"Yes…M'lady" I growled, attempting but failing to look stern. I settled for an eye roll

"Thankyou sweetie, I really don't deserve such a wonderful husband…"

_Mae had picked up a book at the airport to pass the time on the flight, but because she didn't like to overtax her eyes, she was still reading it. It had her totally hooked, to the point that I had to literally, stand infront of her naked to get her attention. One afternoon, we had been on the sofa reading, me with my head on Mae's lap, the fingers of one of her hands running through my hair and massaging my scalp in the way that made me purr with pleasure. Only, she had only been doing it for less than five minutes before the damn book hooked her in, and caused her to stop. With an irritated growl, I had snatched_ _it away. It was an English historical romance, where the uptight butler at an English country house, fell in love with a housemaid. _

"_Mae? Really?" I had teased._

" _At least I'm trying something new, not sticking to boring old crime novels…and getting annoyed because I guessed the wrong person did it!" she had shot back, referring to when only five chapters into the book I had been reading, I had declared I knew who had committed the crime, only to see that person given a cast iron alibi in the next chapter and killed off in the next. I had spent a good hour sulking and insulting the writer._

"_Well maybe it's time I started reading something else then." I had pouted. I had then read out a passage of the butler's dialogue in the very proper, but slightly rough English accent that I had heard so many butlers I'd heard over the years. When I heard Mae's breath hitch, I had stopped reading and lowered the book. Looking up in to her eyes, I had seen that she was trying to his the fact that she was turned on._

"_Is there anything else you'd like me to do Lady Cullen?" I had asked still in the accent, but using my own words. _

"_Yes…take me to bed and fuck me…" she had purred. Her eyes dancing with mischief and lust._

"_As you wish, M'lady." I had replied seriously._

_She had squealed in shock as I had sprung to my feet and lifted her up, wrapping her legs round my hips. We had moved towards the bedroom, kissing, licking, sucking, nipping and grinding against each other, moaning at the friction caused by our clothes._

"_Is…this…to your…satisfaction…M'lady…?" I had ground out as I had thrust into her. We had practically ripped off the few clothes we had been wearing. I had then picked Mae up again, her legs were still round my hips, but her feet were resting on the bed behind me, whilst her back was against the long fitted wardrobe that ran along the right wall by the bed._

"_Nooo…faster…please…" she had moaned in such a wanton tone, I had almost come apart they're and then._

"Carlisle…"

"mmm? What?" I mumbled stupidly as I tried to clear my head and focus.

"I take it, we will be buying a few more historical fiction novels when we get home." She chuckled understanding my lustful confusion.

"We certainly will my lady. Have you ever read Lady Chatterley's Lover?" I teased

"Yes and damn, I've created a literary porn addict…" Mae laughed. "But Lady Chatterley's lover…he's an amateur compared to Lord Cullen's Lover…" she purred looking back over at her shoulder at me. She had cleared our now empty plates from the table and moved over to the sink.

"Now that, is a book…I would really…really…love to read…" I growled lowly in her ear. I had moved quickly and just caught her hands before she got them wet. Mae growled. I knew she was frustrated with the restrictions her hand placed on her, but it was almost healed, I didn't want her suffering a set back with it now.

"I'm afraid Lord Cullen's Lover…is very much a work in progress…it will truly be…the author's life's work…although, she is quite proud of the chapters in there so far…" Mae had said quietly, pressing herself back against me.

"I think it's time to add another chapter…"

"You Brits make fun of us Yanks for being too emotional…but at least, when it comes to it…we have the guts to step up to the plate and take a risk…we go after what we want, even if we are scared to death on the inside…" Mae said, her voice still a little rough with emotion. We had finished her book, after two rounds of pretty passionate but laughter filled sex, that had thankfully taken Mae's mind off of the lightening that was ripping through the ominous grey clouds that had rolled in over night. The book had ended with the butler not having the guts to tell the maid how he feels, until she's dying of pneumonia in his arms, having been thrown out of the house in disgrace after having been accused of theft by the son of the house, who she wouldn't sleep with. It was stupid, just a book, a story, but it had struck cords in us both

"And I will thank god for giving you…Americans, that courage, that strength…every damn day of my life…"

As the storm rumbled noisily overhead, heading for the mainland, I pulled the sheets up over our heads.

"See…it can't get us now…"I joked.

Mae giggled, but she was still trembling.

"Mae…it can't hurt you…I won't let it…"

"You are my hero…" she laughed.

"You are my heroine…" I replied

"You are my best friend…"

"You are my lover…" I said with a small smile

"You are my strength…" she said fiercely. We weren't playing anymore, the atmosphere in our little hideaway had become charged with emotion.

"You are my safe place…" I said, my voice dangerously close to cracking as I saw nothing but pure, love in her eyes.

"You are my life…" we whispered in unison

"I am your husband…"

"And I…am your wife…"


	21. Chapter 21

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN: Thankyou so much for your lovely reviews about the last chapter. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Want to say hello to the several new readers that have joined this crazy ride. Welcome and thankyou. Please keep doing what you do and pushing that button. Your comments make it all worth it and make me smile like an idiot all day!lol. Now, to address a point several of you have raised and hinted at…yes Carlisle and Mae will be having a baby. But nothing serious baby/pregnancy related will be happening for a few chapters yet. I did say that I had another case for them. This chapter is the start of that will be busy with that and finding a new house. They will however, be doing some babysitting for little Danielle and a little baby making practice. Hope that's okay.**

**So two little notes for this chap. **

**For those of you who don't know, Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hicock were famous in the mythology of the Wild West for being good with guns. **

**And Met Police Sergeant's are often called "skip" by other officers as they are regarded as the men who "skipper" (captain) the shift of officers they are in charge of. **

**Sorry, Lecture over, but don't want anyone getting confused.**

******ESME POV**

"Okay folks, as we go into the twenty second, and final round…Cala...mae…ty Jane Cullen is leading with twenty one, clean head shots to Wild Bill Whitlock's twenty…however, our very own Texas cowboy, is leading twenty one clean rounds to twenty, in the precision shooting rounds…so there is still everything to play for…" Emmett boomed down the microphone.

Jasper and I exchanged eye rolls as we reloaded our weapons and stepped into the booths. Thanks to some hard and intense training with Jasper and Carlisle, I had passed my physical and psychological with both the CIA medics and the Met doctors. The only test I had still left to pass was my weapons recertification. For the last three months, I had been on 'light duties', recovering from my injuries. I had been splitting my time between the SCI and my own office, doing paperwork, writing reports, collating intelligence and if I was very lucky, interviewing people. I totally understood and welcomed the chance to heal both physically and mentally from the traumas of the previous year, but now I was restless, bored. I needed the challenge of being in the field on the frontline. I needed to prove to myself, and the people I worked with, that I could still do it, still had the edge.

But I wasn't going to be going anywhere, until I had the piece of paper saying that I still had the ability to defend myself and others with a gun safely. There were several officers in the MET's armed response team who wore glasses, but they and I, had to be able to pass a series of tests on the range without glasses. So for the past three months, I had been wearing my glasses not straining my eyes whilst also trying to improve the grip on my damaged hand. It had healed, but my grip was still weak. Danny had worked out some exercises for me, and Jasper, who had to retake his own weapons test at the same time as me, had been helping me on the firing range.

Now, under the shrewd eyes of Sergeant Potter, the man in charge of the firing range, Jasper and I were taking our tests alongside five others. The range was housed in the same large complex as Emmett's pathology lab and he had come down to give us 'moral support'. How that had ended up with him giving a running commentary of our progress, to the other officers who had already finished and those who just so happened to be hanging around, we suspected it had something to do with the money Jasper had seen changing hands. As Jasper and I had done enough to pass our test's ten shots ago, we were taking the extra shots out of a sense of friendly competition and frustration with ourselves for not being perfect.

Closing my eyes for a second, I took a deep breath to centre myself as the final target rattled noisily into place.

**CARLISLE POV**

"How much, more money do they want?" I hissed.

"More than we can give them." Michael from Scotland Yard's finance department replied tightly

"But if we stop using the doctors from the Welbeck Medical Centre to look at the prisoners in custody, the next medical centre with qualified police doctor's is nearly ninety minutes away for fuck's sake. That means a ninety minute hold up in officers processing prisoners with possible injuries and getting back onto the street. Christ, as if the drunks on Friday and Saturday don't slow things up in custody enough as it is."

"I am aware of this Carlisle…"

I let the annoying little man ramble on. Fuck! I was a policeman, a thieftaker, not an accountant. But dealing with budgets and staffing levels was becoming a bigger and bigger part of my job.

My eyes fell to my computer screen, where Mae had uploaded a picture of the view from the hammock on the deck of the Island house as my screen saver. God, what I wouldn't give to be back there now with Mae, rocking gently in the warm breeze talking about everything and nothing. As I suspected, we had found several houses with great decks in the garden, but the gardens themselves were either too small or too overlooked, and the rest of the houses they were attached too weren't much better. The rooms were too dark, the kitchens too small, the stairs were too steep, the bathrooms too cold. But it was early days, and whilst we knew that it wasn't the house, but the people in it that made a home, a neither Mae or I were willing to settle for just anything when it came to our future family home.

Suddenly, Michael's monotonous done was interrupted by Sergeant Warner, the uniformed officer in charge of the custody suite today bursting through my office door. The usually calm and controlled man was pale faced, shaking and blood pouring down the side of his face from a split eyebrow

I didn't even bother to explain, I just slammed the phone down on Michael the accountant.

"Sorry Sir…"

"What the fuck's happened skip?" I demanded rounding the desk and lowering the man forcefully into a chair.

"The lads got a call… to a guy doing his nut in the middle of St Francis Shopping Centre, they managed to get him in the back of the wagon, but the fucker's going apeshit in the yard. He's taken down five of my lads already and mace is doing fuck all…Sir, I need you…to sign off on using a tazer to take him down…for his own safety…as well as ours…" the Sgt stammered in a breathless rush.

"He's high?" It was a stupid question, but I needed to make sure all our backsides were covered for when the incident was investigated, which it would be. In extreme situations, we did have the power to Tazer a prisoner into submission, and although this seemed to very obviously, be one of those situations, the independent investigators would do everything in their power to make the police appear in the wrong.

"He…he's as high as a fucking kite sir, but…I've never seen a high like this before…"

"Okay…" I began, but was stopped from going any further by Jake appearing at the door looking grim faced.

"Custody just called, the crazy guy, he's just collapsed in the yard…he's not breathing."

**ESME POV**

"What can I say? You taught me everything you know?" I crowed teasingly at Jasper. He had fluffed his final shot, whilst I had nailed my final precision target with two sets of beautifully grouped shots. My head and eyes were throbbing a little, but I felt fucking amazing. I was coming back!

I was loving every moment of the time Carlisle and I were having as a couple, but he had fallen in love with a woman who loved and was good at her job, and as much as he worried about me, I knew he knew that and would be proud of me.

"I hope you know…you have just cost me a fucking fortune…" Emmett growled at Jasper as he walked up on us. "You…have never…ever…lost on the range…to anyone…"

Before Jasper could answer however, a deafening loud and shrill alarm ripped through the air.

"That's one of the emergency panic alarms…" Jasper said, his body immediately tensing. As well as the gun range and path labs, the huge complex also housed hard and soft interview rooms and technical units

"Someone's hit the panic button in the mortuary…" someone called.

"Rosie!" Emmett stammered, literally knocking people down as he raced for the door. Rose moaned about Emmett getting under her feet, in the flat that they were now pretty much sharing and at work, but it was only half hearted, they seemed to actually enjoy working close together in the labs.

Emmett, Jasper, me and the three officers who had followed us, were bought to an abrupt halt on our sprint down the corridor, by the sight of a shocked looking Rose coming out of the elevator carrying a cardboard holder of coffee's from the shop down the street. Jasper lead the officers on to carry on investigating the reason for the alarm.

"Oh thank god…" Emmett groaned crushing her to him in a hug.

"I…went for coffee…Em…can't breathe…and what the hell is that damn noise?" she demanded, cringing in pain at the force of Emmett's hug and the loud noise on her sensitive hearing.

"Someone hit the panic alarm in the morgue…" I said slowly so she could read my lips.

"MAE!" I heard Jasper's voice bellow down the hall from the morgue.

"Stay here." I called over my shoulder to Emmett and Rose as I took off at a sprint towards the morgue and Jasper.

In the morgue, trays of equipment had been overturned and one of the officers that had followed Jasper into the morgue was unconscious on the floor, whilst the other was trying to sit up from where he'd been knocked to the ground.

"Go…" he hissed, motioning me towards the open fire escape door.

Emerging out onto the landing of the escape that ran down the side of the building and led to the roof, I heard rather than saw Jasper above me.

"Listen man…you stop this now and we can talk…you have a chance to stop yourself doing something that'll totally fuck up the rest of your life…"Jasper said slowly, calmly.

There was a snort of sarcastic laughter.

"What the fuck do you know? You don't know me…You don't have any fucking clue…how fucked up my life is…" a young man, who sounded absolutely terrified, almost screamed at Jasper.

"Help me…you've got to help me…please…" came the slightly strangled sounding whimper of another male voice.

"You're right, I don't know you…I don't know your situation…but is it really that bad, that the only way out of it, is by throwing yourself and an innocent man off the roof? It's a long way down man…and once you step off, there's no coming back…" Jasper said calmly.

"It'll be quicker…and a lot less painful than what he…he'll do to me…" the terrified young man sobbed.

"Mae…what the fuck is going on? And where's Jazz?" Emmett demanded as I came back into the room.

"I told you to stay out of here!" I snapped at Emmett, before turning to Sgt Potter who had come into the room with some other officers.

"Is there access to the roof from the other side of the building?" I demanded.

"Yeah, there's a fire escape, in the techno lab."

I quickly issued orders for Potter to get ambulance and fire services in place at the base of the building, and have a few of his armed response team ready to follow me up onto the roof.

"I'm sorry Em, I didn't mean to snap, Jazz is on the roof with the guy…or one of the guys that did this…" I said waving my arm round the wrecked morgue.

"Is Tom up there as well?" Rose asked.

"He's our assistant, new guy…Rose said she left him…supposedly doing an autopsy on this guy, but it looks more like he butchered him…" Emmett growled. Casting glance at the body that was on one of the metal tables that ran down the centre of the long room, I saw that instead of being opened in the usual way, the stomach had been almost hacked open by someone in a hurried panic.

"There is someone else up there, that I'm guessing is Tom. Shit! What the fuck is going on?" I growled running a hand through my hair, a gesture, that people would all tease me I had picked up from Carlisle.

"The guy on the roof is freaking out, so I'm going to go try give Jasper a hand. While I'm gone, can you take a closer look at the body…see what makes it of so much interest…"

"Be careful Mae…" Rose said touching my arm.

"I will…" I said squeezing her arm back and giving her what I hoped was a confidant smile.

"Agent Cullen, my boys are ready when you are…" Sgt Potter said coming back through the door, holding out a Kevlar vest for me to wear with one hand and a weapon for me to use with the other.

My phone burst into life at that moment. I had to ask Sgt Potter to answer it as I was busy putting my vest on. Emmett was double checking and tightening every strap.

"Um Agent Cullen…it's DCS Cullen…" Sgt Potter said a little awkwardly.

"Mae…why is Potter answering your phone? And why the hell are you and Jazz still there? You did pass your test?"Carlisle asked cautiously. His voice echoing loudly through the handsfree

"Yes I passed." I snapped. Emmett, Rose and Sgt Potter tried and failed to hide their sniggers. "Flying colours, Jasper and I are still here, because a crazy has attacked a body in the morgue before dragging Em and Rose's assistant with him up onto the roof. Jasper's up there now trying to talk him down…I'm just on my way to give him a hand." I said matter of factly.

"Shit! Okay, I guess that means that you won't be able to help me sort out the shit storm that's just hit here."

"How bad?" I asked snatching up the phone and placing it to my ear.

"Death in custody…okay…call me if you need me…not that you will. You can handle this Mae, you know you can…" Carlisle said seriously. " A crazy roof jumper and a mutilated body…couldn't have picked a better case…to ease yourself back into things gently…" he teased. But beneath his teasing I could hear his confidence, love and support very clearly.

"Just be careful…" he said a little roughly.

"Always am." I replied. A brief, charged moment of silence fell between us, before Carlisle simply hung up. But he hadn't needed to say anymore. He had told me everything I had needed to hear, and more, and I loved him even more for it.

The boy, and he really was only a frightened boy, was in his early twenties, tall, with a body that had been ravaged by addiction to hard drugs. However, he also possessed the inner strength and desperation that junkies have when they think that their freedom and connection to another hit was threatened. So I knew he wouldn't be afraid to use the weapon Jasper had let me know he had.

We wanted needed this kid alive, to find out what the hell was going on. And the more I heard of his conversation with Jasper, the more I began to believe that he was so afraid of the mysterious "him" and what he would do to him for failing, that if he was spooked by the sight of Potters armed men following me onto the roof, he would deliberately do something to get himself shot.

So whilst Jasper had kept him talking and facing away from the edge of the roof, I had snuck up behind him and catching tight hold of his gun arm, swiped his feet from beneath him. Jasper had moved like lightening to move Tom out of the way and give me room to drop the gunman to the ground.

"Drop it…kid…please don't make me hurt you…because I will…" I snarled as I repeatedly banged his arm, still clutching the weapon hard to the ground. He fought me, but finally I had him under control.

"You should have shot me…why…why didn't you shoot me?" the young man had whimpered as he was led away. He looked truly terrified and despite everything I had seen and done, despite what he may or may not have done…I was still not so hard hearted, that I couldn't feel pity for a young kid, who was finding out the hard way, what happens when you get involved with real "gangsters," and not the pretend ones he saw and heard about in the media.

"So, it's been awhile…but Agent Mae Marshall Cullen is baaaack…" Jasper said dramatically. "How does it feel? You think you're ready to start kicking some serious criminal butt?" he asked as we walked across the roof.

How did it feel?

I felt sorry for the kid and there was obviously something serious and screwed up going on here, but I had been filled with that addictive rush that comes from commanding a team, taking down a bad guy, making a situation safe. The buzz had been made all the sweeter by the fact that I had had to get a little physical. I hadn't panicked. I still had the moves, the ability, the strength. It had been awhile, but my muscles and limbs had drawn on memory and followed my commands.

"Hell Yes…Bring. It. On."


	22. Chapter 22

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**An: Thank you all for your continued support for me and this story. It means a lot. I hope you will stick with me. Now, due to a bad shoulder that is making typing difficult at the moment, the next few chapters may be a bit shorter than usual, but hopefully still as good. I really hope you can bear with me. This chap is rated M for lang and dark images.**

**CARLISLE POV**

"It's okay Jake you weren't to know the bloody spooks, were going to start a pissing contest over jurisdiction. Just get yourself back here…leave the rest of this to me. I know the very man to speak too…" I snarled, almost cracking the plastic casing of my desk phone, as I saw through the glass in my desk door, Marcus Hendry, Mae's CIA boss striding through the SCI main office towards mine. His knock was perfunctorily.

"Carlisle…"

"Marcus." I replied tightly, ignoring his outstretched hand.

"So I guess you heard about what happened at the hospital?" he said shifting nervously from foot to foot, whilst having the grace to look a little sheepish as he remained standing.

"You mean your goons throwing their weight about, and terrifying a packed emergency room with growls about the prisoner being a potential threat to national security…yes, I heard. And will probably be hearing about it from hysterical politicians and Scotland Yard top brass, for some time to bloody come…do you smoke?"

"Trying to quit."

"Well that's a shame because, I plan to smoke several whilst I listen to you explain what the fuck is going on." I snapped finally standing. Grabbing my coat, I led the way out of my office, ignoring the far from subtle stares from the rest of the team.

"The guy your uniformed officers picked up…he was one of mine…" Marcus said tightly, running a hand roughly through his short grey hair.

"Fuck!" I hissed.

"He was a good kid…" Marcus said leaning his hands on the rail that ran around the edge of the roof where I had taken him so he could talk, whilst I had a much needed cigarette. Marcus was at least, ten years older than me, but possessed a physique and a general confidence and style that even I was a little jealous of. Now though, his sagging shoulders, grey face and haunted eyes made him the poster boy for just how mentally and physically exhausted our type of work could leave you if you stayed too long.

"He was one big fucking kid…" I grumbled.

"Was all set for a career playing pro American football till he blew his knee. He was one of those jocks with a brain just as big as his biceps…"

"How is he?"

The paramedics had managed to get the guy breathing again after his collapse in the yard, and the hospital staff had been working to keep him stable when Marcus' goons had stormed in demanding that he be signed over to their care and a private clinic.

"I believe the technical term, is Fucked Beyond All Recognition…whatever the fuck he's been given…his heart is literally the size of his head…only hope is a transplant…if he makes it through the night, and even if he makes it through the operation there's every chance his brain will be mush…at twenty fucking eight…" Marcus growled, his voice rough with emotion.

"What was he working on? And please spare me the classified crap. I have injured officers to account for…and after your men's little stunt at the hospital, I can't just write it off as a crazy drunk."

"I had every intention of telling you…we might, be needing your help…Mae's help…as long as you're up to taking another walk down the shadowy corridors of power?"he said turning his head to look at me.

"I'm listening."

**ESME POV**

"Hi honey…I'm home…" I called a little wearily, as I stumbled through the front door.

"Kitchen…" Carlisle called back.

"Mmm, something smells amazing…" I said honestly as I quickly hung up my coat, dropped my keys in the dish on the small table by the door, and hurried towards the kitchen.

"Spaghetti with my own secret sauce…" Carlisle said turning slightly from the pot he was stirring, so he could kiss me as I slipped my arms round his waist. He tasted of cigarettes, red wine and spaghetti sauce. "Here, taste, tell me if you think it needs more seasoning?" he said seriously, lifting and holding out the wooden spoon he was using to me, cupping his hand beneath it, so the sauce on the end wouldn't spill.

"Salty aaand sweet…mmm…tastes a bit like you…" I purred playfully, making Carlisle turn an adorable shade of pink that had nothing to do with the heat from the pans on the stove.

" You're insatiable woman…" he growled but with a small smirk twitching his lips. "The sauce?" he said lifting the spoon again to focus my attention.

"Is wonderful…" I said truthfully. The combination of flavours had awakened the appetite I had kept suppressed during the long and tiring day, with cigarettes coffee and a few mouthfuls of a non descript sandwich from the station canteen.

"Good, I know I didn't have time to eat much today, and judging by the state of Jasper when I saw him in the office, you guys didn't either, so I figured I'd cook…" Carlisle said a little shyly.

"How'd I get so lucky?" I sighed. " To have a husband who's Intelligent, kind, panty droppingly handsome…according to two young women police constables I overheard in the ladies…" I snarked, making him blush even more. "And a great cook…"

"Mm, I wonder that myself sometimes?" he teased. "Ow! Heh! You're supposed to kiss the cook, not batter him…" Carlisle whined as he tried to avoid my tickling fingers.

"I've done that already." I argued.

"That was before you tasted the food…we chefs have a delicate ego's you know…" he pouted dramatically. I snagged his lower lip between my own and sucked gently, causing him to moan softly into my mouth and pull me closer, his hands running up my arms and resting on my shoulders.

"Christ Mae, could your shoulders be any more tense?" Carlisle said round the edge of our kiss as he gently began to massage them.

I just moaned and let my head fall forward to rest on his chest. Whilst I had enjoyed getting back to work, now the adrenaline was wearing off, I was being reminded just how much energy, both physical and mental our jobs could take out of us.

"We'll eat, we'll talk…you'll have a bath…then we'll have an early night…"

"Will you scrub my back?" I teased. Carlisle growled something about me being insatiable again, before he returned his cooking, a devilish twinkle in his eye.

After I set the table, Carlisle dished up and we ate in companionable silence for awhile, before beginning to chat about anything other than work. We needed to reconnect and have some normal time before we let the stresses of the day in.

"I know we said that we wouldn't let work past the front door, but do you mind if we have our little debrief on the sofa?" Carlisle said sounding and looking not just weary, but anxious, and worried.

"Of course love…new rule, really tough days get as far as the sofa." I chuckled softly.

We sat facing each other on the couch, wine glass in one hand, whilst our other hands stretched out along the back of the sofa.

"So…a death in custody…" I began.

Carlisle sighed deeply. "He's not technically, dead yet…it just looked like he was when I was speaking to you…the paramedics brought him back, and the machines at the hospital are doing the rest. Preliminary reports, say that he had a heart attack or stroke of some sort…not due to anything we did." He said quickly. "The guy was picked up in a shopping centre after he threw a table through a coffee shop window. The boys managed to get him back to the station, but couldn't get him any further than the yard. He was…under the influence of something, but we won't know what exactly for a few days. Dr Sheperton, he runs the police lab in South London…" Carlisle said in answer to my unasked question as to who Dr. Sheperton was. "isn't as enthusiastic or dedicated to his work as Emmett and Rose are…" Carlisle mused. I couldn't help the tired laugh and shiver that escaped me as I remembered my afternoon spent in Emmett's lab.

"_Stay by the wall, but DON'T, touch anything! This place has to be dusted for prints…" Emmett had barked at Jasper and I as we re-entered the lab. His voice had been a little muffled by the helmet like, long plastic face mask he wore as he poked around noisily, in the dead man's insides. Rose had been bent over a microscope at the other side of the room, her pretty face creased in serious concentration. _

"_How's Tom?" she had called without looking up._

"_Um, shocked but okay…he's on his way to the hospital just to be safe…" I had stammered. There was a rotten, putrid smell hanging heavily in the air that we hadn't noticed before as we were in such a hurry to get to the men on the roof._

"_So docs, do you have anything?" Jasper had asked wincing and turning away slightly, as with a sickening sucking sound, Emmett had pulled something_ _out of the dead man's stomach._

"_Gotcha!" he had crowed triumphantly, before dropping whatever it was into a dish._

"_There's more?" Rose queried._

"_Yeah, they were wrapped…condom by the look of it…" he had said poking around at what was in the dish, before holding up a pair of tweezers to the light and squinting at what he was holding. "Split though, thanks to the stomach acid…and the beating…poor sod…" Emmett had growled, shaking his head sadly._

"_Beating?" Jasper coughed. _

_Neither, Jasper or I were squeamish, and had both seen a lot worse, but the smell was nauseating._

"_What? Oh…yeah…" Emmett had said looking at us, as if he'd just remembered we were there. "Wanna come see?" he offered, waving his hand over the large gaping wound that had been the man's stomach, fanning a fresh wave of the putrid stink towards us. Jasper just about stopped himself from dry heaving._

"_We wouldn't want to contaminate the scene…the body any further…" I had said quickly. It was quiet, but I still heard Rose's snort of laughter. She had moved away from the microscope now and could clearly see Jasper's deathly pale face._

"_Suit yourselves…" Emmett growled. _

"Yeah, I think Jasper and I had forgotten just how into his work, Emmett can be…" I said in reply to Carlisle's look of surprise at my unexpected laughter. "Sorry…" I said trying to straighten my face and become serious once more. "Do you have an id for your guy?" I asked.

"No, he didn't have any type of ID on him at all, and so far there's been no hits on his details with missing persons…and there won't be…" he sighed looking truly pained. "Poor bastard."

Our fingers had twisted together along the back of the sofa and I raised them to my lips. He had been a policeman for a long time now, he should be too jaded to care about the family of a man who wasn't even officially in his care, but he wasn't, and I loved him even more for it.

Carlisle turned me round and began to massage my shoulders. He had more he wanted to say, the tension was practically rolling off of him in waves, but I knew I had to wait and let him decompress in his own time and in his own way, which was looking after me.

I moaned, letting my head fall forward to give Carlisle's magic hands better access to my neck and shoulders.

" We know the guy on the roof's name…but that's only because he had a driver's license in his wallet." I said grimly as I began to tell Carlisle what had happened in my afternoon finally.

Evan French, was a twenty one year old student originally from the North of England, who had come down to London to study Business Management. He had been back in England for just over a week, following a gap year spent helping out in a small African province. From the CCtV footage, we had seen, he had arrived at the lab with what could only be hired muscle, but after attacking the officers who had followed Jasper into the lab, the muscle had made his escape using the fire escape I had used. Jasper had already put a description of him on the wire, but there had been no luck in identifying him yet.

"And this kid French, he's not given you anything?" Carlisle queried. His tone surprised more than anything.

"Jasper and I tried everything. Whoever this kid is working for, they have quite literally frightened the shit out of him." I sighed, remembering how before we could put him in the back of the police car, we had had to change him into some scrub pants, as his own were covered in urine and faeces.

"I let Carmen Denali, you remember… my firm's pet head shrinker?" Carlisle made an affirmative noise behind me. "Take a look at him…the kid has completely shut down… full blown, catatonic shock. The lights are on, but there is most definitely nobody home…oww…" I hissed suddenly as Carlisle hit a tender spot on my shoulders. Carlisle sprang back as if I'd electrocuted him. I turned to face him.

"Sorry honey…Emmett re tightened, every strap on my damn Kevlar vest…sometimes the big old bear doesn't know his own strength…" I chuckled softly.

" Remind me to buy Emmett several pints…" Carlisle said softly, his eyes were full of love, but also the concern he was feeling and suppressing about me being back at work. I grabbed a cushion and placed it in on my lap. Carlisle laid back, his head on my lap. I began to run my hands through his hair and massage his scalp.

"So, do you have any idea about what he wanted?" he sighed.

"According to Tommy, Em and Rose's new assistant, French wanted to see the body of his "brother". He knew the guy had been found at a motorway service station two days ago, and he knew what he looked like facially…he had a photograph. We've circulated it. But French didn't know his name or anything personal about him, he got the hired muscle to point the gun at Tommy till he got the body out of whatever fridge he was in. Turns out, they were trying to clear some room in the morgue and the guy was already on the table. Tommy said, French knew enough about the guy to know there was something in the guy's stomach, that whoever French is working for, wants badly. French got the muscle to pistol whip Tommy when he wouldn't open the guy's stomach. French opened it, made a real freaking mess and a…stink…oh Christ…" I shuddered at the memory. "Tommy managed to hit the panic button…and…"

"Calamaety Jane and Wild Bill Whitlock…came riding to the rescue" Carlisle teased gently, to try and ease the tension he could see and feel building in me again.

"You heard about the silly names Emmett gave us?" I growled. Carlisle nodded smiling softly as he looked up at me from my lap.

"I'm very proud of you love…I knew you could do it." He said reaching up and gently stroking my cheek…"

"You are ever so slightly biased…" I chuckled softly placing my hand over his. "I must admit, the first couple of shots…I wasn't sure…" I admitted truthfully. It had taken Jasper telling me to relax to get me to calm down. "anyway, Jazz did the hard work on the roof really…"

"You two make a good team…" Carlisle said. And I swore I could hear the faintest tinge of jealousy in his voice. I knew Carlisle was hating the fact that he was being forced to spend more and more time behind his desk.

"For some things maybe…but when it comes to it baby, when the shit really hits the fan…nobody beats me and you…you know that…" I said gently but firmly. "What is it Em says…bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do…when Cullen and Mae come…after you…" I sang softly with a chuckle as I dropped my head down to his and kissed him softly.

"Now, Agent Marshall Cullen, are you going to share the rest of your intelligence with me?" Carlisle growled.

"We got Emmett and Rose to take a look at the body, it was only quick, Sargent Potter wanted to get the lab dusted for prints…which we're still waiting on…the kid on the slab had two condoms full of uncut diamonds in his gut."

"Diamonds? Are you sure?" Carlisle demanded on a noisy exhale and sitting up quickly.

"Yep. Rose reckons about two million pounds worth…we're getting them checked and verified in the morning…"

"And we know nothing about this John Doe?" Carlisle asked his tone brisk and businesslike again.

"He's in his late thirties, early forties… he had taken a beating about thirty six hours before he died, he was severely dehydrated…and though there not a hundred percent sure, Rose and Em don't think he's English…he's white, but not English. Hopefully we'll no more tomorrow when Em and Rose can process the fingerprints and other scene evidence. We've got a ton of CCTV to be looking through as well…" I sighed. Carlisle cursed softly under his breath and swung his legs round to sit up properly.

"Carlisle…talk to me…" I urged

"Marcus came to see me today…"

"Marcus? My boss Marcus?" I queried, shocked.

"The guy who collapsed in our custody…he was one of us…or should I say you…Marcus had him undercover…"

I couldn't stop the cold chill which gripped my body and caused me to shudder. There but for the grace of God go not just me, but all of us.

"His name was…is…Sam Tyler…"

I didn't realize I had sprung from the sofa, raced into the kitchen and heaved violently into the sink, until Carlisle was handing me a bottle of water from the fridge and rubbing my back.

"He's just a kid…what the fuck was Marcus doing? Sam… he looks like a tough guy…and I guess he is…but he's more a strategist…he's not…he doesn't have the mental strength for field work…" I stammered.

Carlisle half carried me back to the sofa. He positioned us, so that I could half lay with my back against his chest as he wrapped his arms round me and tried to stop the shaking I could barely control.

"Sam was my day to day handler whilst I was in the field for the last eighteen months back in the States…what happened? What was he working on?" I demanded.

"Have you heard of Batari?"

"The country? Heard of it yes…but couldn't tell you about it."

"It's a tiny place, but in a prime location that if our terrorist friends managed to get hold of or build a nuclear weapon, it could put a very big hole in the United States." Carlisle said grimly. I gripped his arms a little tighter, causing him to brush his lips over the top of my head.

"As you can imagine, that is the last thing the President…the world needs. So your bosses were told to…discreetly, find out what it would take to get Batari to pledge allegiance to the flag. Well, turns out…funny enough…what they wanted…needed was money and lots of it. To cut Marcus' very long story short…Batari is the home to a plant chopped, burnt and mixed with some other shit, makes a narcotic that is five times stronger and even more addictive than crack…" Carlisle said in a tone that befitted a geography teacher rather than a policeman.

"Shit!" I hissed.

"So under the cover of its medical research, MEDTECH has opened a lab out in Batari and been producing this stuff…"

"Fucking great. So it's another case of innocent people having to suffer, because the fucking politicians can't get their heads out of their asses…okay, so doing this might stop Al Queda, or whoever until the next time. But it leaves us with a load more desperate junkies out there committing crimes…more fucking wasted lives…more innocent people like Sam being hurt in the crossfire…fuck! " I raged, sitting up.

"Do you want to hear the rest?"

"Of course I fucking want to hear the rest?" I snarled.

" The first buyers were a European gang…new on the scene, but pretty heavy and very, nasty from what Marcus managed to find out from Sam. Guns, drugs, prostitutes…people trafficking they had fingers in all the pies… they are making friends with some pretty big players in the States, making some important people nervous, so Marcus was asked to deal with it, find a way to shut them down. Sam had been undercover as muscle the last six or seven months…he was doing okay, working his way in…or so he thought. It seems your assessment of his field skills were right. He'd been making mistakes…asking too many questions. Marcus got a panicked call early this morning…Sam was sent as muscle to protect the mule they sent to pay for the goods. He was just some ordinary bloke, respectable looking…apparently he'd lost a small fortune at one of the casinos the gang runs. Was told all he had to do, was smuggle in the diamonds the gang were using to pay for the drugs…"

"So he's the guy on the slab?" I whispered.

"It certainly seems that way?"

"So how the hell did he get into the service station toilet?" I asked as I sloshed more wine from the bottle Carlisle had bought over from the table to the sofa, into my glass.

"According to what Sam told Marcus…he couldn't pass the stones…they tried everything…loading him with laxatives…"

"Which would explain the dehydration…and the damage to his bowels…that caused that god awful smell when he was opened up…Em and Rose didn't have enough time to examine him totally before the finger print guys moved in." I said holding up the bottle to Carlisle, who shook his head. I realized then myself that I didn't really want another drink either, or at least not of wine. I needed to keep a clear head and my stomach was sore from where I had heaved. And as if reading my mind, Carlisle passed me the bottle of water from the fridge I had been sipping from.

"They tried beating the crap out of him…which must have only added to the damage to his insides. Finally, they decided to scare the crap out of him. Sam, as a test was supposed to take him for a drive…" Carlisle said empahasizing the last word in the way that made it clear, it was a one way drive for the passenger.

"Do we know this poor bastard's name?"

"The passport he was came into Heathrow with, is in the name of Andrei Voltan. We're still checking if it's genuine. Anyway, the guy was delirious, desperate…he jumped out of the car...in the middle of a traffic jam. Sam panicked. From what the hospital found, he'd taken a beating himself, before they gave him an overdose of this new shit. They must have thought he was dead, they left him…Sam woke up though…he knew he was in bad trouble…so he got himself arrested…"

"Poor kid, he thought he'd be safe…or at least be able to call for help…" I sighed leaning forward with my elbows on my knees and burying my face in my hands.

Carlisle began to rub my back, in a way that would irritate me if it were any one else but him doing it.

"Do we know how they were planning to get the drugs out of the country?" I mumbled into my hands but Carlisle heard me.

"Marcus got called away at that point…" Carlisle said and then began to chuckle softly to himself.

"What?"

"Well, I wasn't exactly happy to see Marcus when he arrived at the office. I um…took him up to the roof…"

"You didn't…" I chuckled darkly. I slumped back against the sofa cushions. If Carlisle had to yell at you about something, instead of embarrassing you infront of everyone, he took you to the roof.

"Well, I needed a cigarette almost as badly as I needed to rip into Marcus about the way his goons acted at the hospital. I spent all bloody afternoon reassuring the Police Comissioner and hospital that Sam wasn't a terrorist threat." Carlisle said a little sheepishly. "The team looked a little worried when I came back without him. I swear I saw Jake looking out the window to see if I had thrown him off the roof."

"You did not!" I laughed.

"Scouts honour." He laughed, holding up his hand with three fingers straight up and his thumb and little finger bent at inward.

"You must have been a cute little scout…in your little shorts and hat. I bet you sold lots of cookies…I mean who could resist that face?" I crooned, playfully squeezing his cheek.

"We didn't sell cookies here. For us, it was bob-a job-week."

"Whose bob and why would he give you a job?" I giggled confused.

"A bob…it's old English slang for money, about a dollar, maybe a bit less…and for one week, we had to go round offering our services doing odd jobs for people…and they would pay us a…bob." Carlisle said turning his head on the sofa cushion he was now leaning against, to look at me. There was such a sweet smile on his face as he remembered. We sat in silence for awhile, Carlisle playing with the fingers of my hand which he held in his.

"Marcus said we can sit this one out if we really want to…" Carlisle said finally.

"Is that what you want? I mean after all the shit with Julian…?"

We were still slumped back on the sofa looking at each other.

"No…" he said honestly. I grinned. "It's probably a stupid question, but what about you?" he asked.

"No, I'm in…for Sam's sake…but also…and don't laugh…but I want us…me and you…I want us to make one last big bust together…one big enough to make sure that the criminals remember what a fucking amazing and deadly team we are…" I said, my voice cracking a little with emotion. I could see the confusion, worry and a little fear on Carlisle's face as he took in my words.

"I'm tired Carlisle…I do love my job, you know that…and I'm going to give this case everything, more…but, I want to spend some time in a normal reality that doesn't involve dead bodies, drugs and all the other crap we have to deal with. I want to start building a home, for us…our children. When we've kicked these evil bastards asses into jail or an early grave…I want us to start trying properly for a baby…" I said running my free hand through the side of his hair and down his cheek.

"You hate being behind a desk…and you'd go crazy if she stayed at home all day every day." He said

"I'm not talking about giving up forever…and as I told you before, as we've seen with Alice and Jazz, it might take us awhile to get pregnant…but I want…need a little time out…I don't want to be Agent Marshall Cullen…I want to be just plain old Mrs Cullen…mommy…"

"Do you have any idea…how much I love the idea of us playing Mummy's and Daddy's?" Carlisle said roughly, cupping my face in one hand. His kiss was brief but so tender and full of love it made me whimper and fist the front of his shirt.

"But Agent Marshall Cullen hasn't retired yet…" I chuckled softly.

"Bad Boys…Bad Boys…what you gonna do…Cullen and Mae are coming after you…" Carlisle sang softly.

I had been thinking about what I had just said for awhile. I wanted to get back into my job, prove to myself and others that I was back on form after my injuries, but…I wanted more. I wanted more of the contentment I had felt when Carlisle and I had been able to spend more normal married couple time together over the last few months. I wanted, needed more of what I felt when I was around, holding, just looking at Danielle. I wanted more than anything, to see Carlisle's face break into a stunningly beautiful smile and his eyes fill with love for our baby, not just Danielle. I wanted our baby to know the comfort of hearing him promise to protect them from monsters, real or imagined, the way Danielle did.

"Well in that case, I think it's definitely time for us to have that early night…tomorrows going to be busy for us both…" Carlisle said standing and pulling me up from the sofa with him.

"Okay, but I do believe you said something about me having a bath…where you scrubbed my back…"

"I don't know… I've slaved over a hot stove to make sure her dinner was on the table as soon as she stepped through the front door, worked my fingers to the bone, trying to get rid of the tension in her shoulders…but still she wants more…" Carlisle sighed dramatically. "If I'd have known just how hard work being your husband would be…"

There must have been something in the look on my face, because Carlisle wrapped me up in his arms and pulled me closer.

"I would have married you a hell of a lot sooner…" he growled lowly in my ear. "Now go, get that very pretty little arse of yours in the bath whilst I clear up in here…" he said letting me go and swatting me playfully on the backside.

"Don't be long…I wouldn't want all the bubbles to have disappeared by the time you get there…" I purred over my shoulder.

"Fine! You two go off and have all the fun chasing the bad guys…see if I care…" Jasper pouted when I arrived later the next morning at the SCI office to collect Jasper. I had gone to check on the progress of Evan French such as there was, whilst Jasper had gone to see one of Alice's contacts in Hatton Garden to have the diamonds certified. Rose hadn't been far off, there had been almost two million pounds worth of uncut, almost flawless diamonds, that still, according to Rose, who had worked late into the night in the small lab Emmett had at his place analyzing some of samples, bore microscopic traces of mud, earth found uniquely in the small African province of Batari.

But now Carlisle and I, were now off to talk to some antiquities dealers and restorers, that could be capable of creating the vases and other objects that Marcus' intelligence suggested was how the new drugs were being shipped out of the country. The drug was actually heated and new vases and other pots formed, before being slowly melted when they reached their destination. We were also going to check on the progress of Evan French, who was now under twenty four hour care at a private clinic.

"Just think, the sooner you use your special brand of diplomacy, to get us the test results we need…the sooner you get to come out and play and help us kick a few bad guys doors down…" Carlisle reasoned.

Jasper growled grumbled and cursed as he stumped back to his office, making Carlisle and I feel very sorry for any one who dared to try and quote procedural rules at him.

Emmett was stepping through the opening lift doors as we reached it. He greeted us and we told him briefly what we were doing. Neither Carlisle and I could be certain when we thought about it later, but we swore we heard him croon softly

"Nobody does it better…makes me feel bad for the rest…"

**AN: ****Please don't panic. Mae isn't going soft. She is going to be as tough as ever over the next few chapters. She's just thinking more about the baby and having a bit of a normal life with Carlisle for awhile. I think they've earned it!lol. But Cullen and Mae are going to show just how good they are before she takes time out.**

**For anyone who is interested and who doesn't already know. I am on Twitter as CI5girl. As well as talking about life in general and my love of Peter Facinelli, I also tweet about the progress of the this story and answer any questions you may have.**


	23. Chapter 23

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; I have the kindest, most supportive and just generally wonderful readers ever! That is all.**

"Mister Cullen…to what do I owe this unpleasant surprise? What's the matter? Run out of real criminals to annoy the fuck out of?" Gerard Devlin Esq. the proprietor of the 'Antique Emporium' hissed, as he emerged from between two life size mannequins dressed in military uniform stood either side of a door at the back of the shop. He had no doubt, been alerted to my arrival by the CCTV cameras scattered around the shop amongst the junk.

"Or have you got a few fire damaged antiques in need of restoration maybe?" he sneered.

Due to the age and history associated with Harrowview, the fire had been a filler story on both local and national news. But Devlin acquired his information, from the far more far reaching and less sympathetic criminal grapevine.

"Nice to see you too Gerry" I replied tightly, enjoying the irritated scowl that flickered across his pallid features, at the use of the name that he had abandoned along with his rough, sometimes intelligible Scottish accent in an attempt to fit in the notoriously elitist high end antiques world.

"My apologies Gerard old man." I snarked in my most cut glass public school accent.

"Was there something you wanted? Only you're making the place look untidy…and business is tough enough as it is?" he growled.

"You surprise me, I thought the way things are at the moment, I thought you'd have a string of the Kensington, Chelsea and Belgravia set dropping the family silver or Minton pottery in for 'cleaning and restoration'." I replied leaning back casually against one of the glass cabinets that ran round the edge of the large shop floor, which was covered in a haphazard jumble of furniture and other pieces. All the things that were in for restoration where kept separately in the back rooms where Gerry had a studio.

Gerard had a good eye and knowledge of antiques, and did actually manage to make a decent living, but the shop was really a front for his other businesses, which included a "short term financial brokerage service" or pawn brokers for the well off, who were struggling to pay off the school fees or AMEX bills. They referred to it as taking things to be "cleaned or restored." It was Gerard's other, business however that had bought me to see him today. Gerard was a talented artist who had enjoyed a long career as a high class forger and during a prison term he had earned for helping a very minor Royal cousin commit insurance fraud a few years ago, Gerard had copied an expensive painting and taken a cut of the insurance money when it had been reported 'stolen', Gerard had found a love of and a skill for pottery.

Gerard was about to answer me when the door opened to admit Mae. She was finishing the call she had received a call from Jasper, just as we had arrived at the shop. I could see Gerard's eyes light up not only at her beauty, but also at her accent. He lived to fleece gulable tourists.

"Good morning Madam…welcome to the Emporium…" he simpered in his best 'posh' accent, rounding the cabinets and coming to a halt in front of a slightly suprised Mae.

Mae's eyes met mine for the briefest of seconds over his shoulder. I prayed she could see my silent urging for her to follow my lead. I was in the mood to have a little fun

"Thank you…you're store is soo cute…and it's so nice to finally be served by a friendly face…I mean, I've been looking in some of the antique stores around here…the assistant's are soo snooty." Mae sighed dramatically.

That's my girl. I thought, glad that Gerry couldn't see the smirk I could feel twitching my lips.

"Crazy…in such difficult economic times, it's more important than ever to make the customer feel valued and give them what you…they want." Gerry sighed. "So, what can I help you with today?"he said turning on the charm and flashing his unnaturally whitened teeth in a slightly unnerving smile.

"Vases…but you already have a customer…I can wait…" she said waving her hand towards me.

"Well isn't that a coincidence…that's why I'm here as well…" I said.

"Well, I'm sure a man of your…breeding…and manners would insist that I see to the ladies needs first…" Gerry ground out turning to me slightly, and giving me a glare that told me in no uncertain terms what he thought of me at that moment, and where he would very much love to stick a vase if given half a chance.

"I think you're right, he does look the type that would be most insistent that a ladies needs be taken care of before his own…" Mae said sweetly, but with a wicked, playful glint in her eye that suddenly made my trousers feel uncomfortably tight. I turned slightly further away from them for a moment.

God, I had, and would miss this…the way we worked. It went against all the rules, but it worked, it came easy…it was us. Gerry moved quickly around the room and came back carrying a truly hideous vase

"This is very pretty, it is actually a very unusual, and highly collectable piece of Minton pottery, dating from around the early nineteen hundreds." Gerry said silkily handing Mae the vase.

Mae toyed with the vase for another long moment, before wrinkling her nose.

"Noo, I don't think so…do you have anything a little less…conventional? A bit more modern? With a more ethnic…tribal art design maybe?"

"I understand the traditional tribal designs from Batari, are simple, but very pretty…quite unique…" I chimed in.

"Really?" Mae replied innocently.

"Oh yes, they only use primary colours, with a hint of black here and there, basic really, but combined in the right way, by someone with a real artistic talent…they can be quite beautiful…" I said my tone light and conversational. Gerard had his back to me, but I could see that his relaxed posture of a few seconds before, had been replaced by tense shoulders and a stance that looked like he was preparing to run. To be through, Mae and I had spent the morning talking to all the usual suspects in the dodgy antiques world, but the moment that Marcus had said at the briefing earlier that morning, that the drugs were being shipped in especially made 'antiquities', I had immediately thought of Gerry. He was a man with expensive tastes, who thanks to his sheer barefaced shamelessness, had managed to make contacts in the circles that the leaders of this new gang would look to for help in their quest to be the main distributor for this new drug.

"Are you okay?" Mae asked Gerry sweetly, confirming my suspicion that my words had made him nervous.

"Yes thank you my dear, but I'm afraid ethnic, tribal designs, from Batari or anywhere else, are not something I know anything about I'm afraid…" he replied smoothly to Mae, but I heard the hard, pointed edge in his tone meant for me.

"Oh that is a shame…" Mae pouted adorably. " Because that sounded like just…what I was after. Are you…sure, that you don't know anything about these vases?" she pressed.

"NO!...I mean no…" Gerry stammered.

"Oh come now Gerard, I'm sure you could help the lady out if you really, wanted to. A man with your knowledge of the business…you're contacts…" I crooned.

"You did after all tell me, that it was more important than ever, to give me…the customer what they wanted…and I really, really want to know what you know about Batari vases…" Mae said. Gerry seemed to stagger back slightly at how her sweet, innocent tone and body language had changed as she spoke. Gone was the innocent tourist, instead, he was now looking at Agent Marshall Cullen in professional 'do-not-if-you-know-what-is-good-for-you-bullshit-me' mode.

Christ she is beautiful when she's pissed off.

"I…I told you. I don't know anything."

"Sorry Gerry, I think you do…and the customer…is always…right…" Mae said, moving the vase she was still holding from hand to hand, before letting it slip through her fingers and crash to the floor.

"What the fuck?...He…he's a policeman…" Gerry stammered in shock, pointing over at me.

"And she is an American security service agent, and even if she didn't outrank me…"

"Only technically…" Mae said sweetly.

"She has diplomatic immunity, which means that she can pretty much do what the hell she likes, where she likes…because as a spook, she doesn't technically exsist…" I replied.

"Then nobody will mind, if I give the cheeky bitch a slap then…I mean…if she doesn't technically exsist…who will care?" Gerry snarled all pretence at refined accent and manners gone. He was the vicious bully boy who had spent years trying to knock off his rough edges once more.

"Well, I think…you'll find…Carlisle would care…rather…a lot…" Mae said as she side stepped his attempt at a blow, and pinned his arms behind his back. With a vicious shove, Mae pushed Gerry across the floor towards me. He stumbled and almost landed flat on his face, but I caught him by the back of his jacket and yanked him upright.

"You see, she is very real to me…" I snarled throwing him down onto a tatty chaise lounge.

"Aww shite! She's your missus isn't she? I heard you'd got married…fuck, I bet you never forget to put the toilet seat down, or hog the covers? She'd kick the shit out of you and wear your bits for earrings…" he chuckled darkly.

"True…"I smirked. "But believe it or not, she is also capable of being shockingly clumsy…is forever breaking things…" I said in faux disbelief. And right on que, the sound of shattering china filled the air.

"Oops…sorry…" Mae snarled.

"You two, where supposed to be gathering intelligence, not shopping!" Jasper grumbled as he made a grab for the bag that Mae was busy trying to fit in her desk drawer.

"Oh, we didn't buy that. Gerry Devlin gave us a belated wedding present." I replied.

"That's funny…they haven't mentioned anything about hell freezing over on the news." Jasper teased.

Gerry Devlin had made it clear, or as clear as he was able to be, when he was very drunk and speaking in his native broad Scottish accent, that he; 'would nae give the polis, the steam off mae piss."

"What can he say? He was dazzled by Mae's charm." I chuckled darkly. Gerry had in fact, been almost on his knees pleading with me to get Mae, who was thoroughly enjoying playing bad cop for once, out of his shop. She had made quite a mess by the time he had told us all he knew. Mae had been genuinely taken with the bronze sculpture of a couple dancing the tango, that was now in the bag she had snatched back from Jasper, and was now placing in her desk drawer. Gerry had almost begged her to take it. I had left a wad of notes that more than covered the cost behind the counter

"He was approached by…you won't believe this...Harrison Taylor…"

"The art critic!" Jasper said in disbelief.

"The very same…it seems like Mister Taylor has a little addiction problem."

"Dope? Coke?" Jasper queried.

"Worse…" Mae said miming an injection against her arm.

"He hides it well…" Jasper mused.

He was right. Harrison Taylor was a much loved TV presenter, who had made a name for himself as the Simon Cowell of the art world. He had a weekly show, where he reviewed and interviewed leading artists. The part of the show everyone looked forward too, was when after building up his guests ego with flattery of their work, he would find away to deflate it again with a witheringly sarcastic put down.

"Apparently, whilst he was in the States doing that special about the Guigenheim museum, he went to a few parties…met a few people, who were more than happy to hook him up with the best gear to feed his habbit and love of watching girl on girl action."

"One night, Taylor decides to carry on the party back at his hotel with young ladies who are…"

"Extremely photogenic, but underage in all fifty damn states, and…pretty much everywhere else in world." Mae growled.

"So they have him right where they want him…" Jasper said.

"So he introduces them to Gerry at a party in London."

"And how do Gerry and Taylor know each other"? Emily asked.

The rest of the team had seemingly stopped work to listen to what Mae and I had discovered.

"Taylor went to Gerry when he needed to pawn stuff on the quiet to feed his habit."

"We've been doing a bit more digging into the intel Marcus gave us this morning. It seems shipping stuff in art, pots, is a favourite way of this gang's to move things. They have a legitimate, specialist art haulage firm and a couple of small galleries…" Jake chimed in.

"Do we have names for any of this 'gang'?" I asked unable to stop myself from making quotation marks in the air. "Marcus was a little vague. I know he said that intelligence tells us, but can't prove for definite, that Stefano Volturi is the 'respectable businessman' running this gang. But do we have anything else? Any other names? Anything that can give us something concrete on Volturi?" I demanded.

" They've hidden things extremely well, but from what I have managed to find out though…Angelico Shipping Limited, is owned by a company called Volturi Holdings, which is owned by Stefano Volturi." Emily called from her desk, where she was surrounded by tottering piles of files. "I'm still searching through their financial records. It will take me a bit longer, to get the necessary warrants to give me access to Volturi's personal accounts, especially if we want to look around without him having to be informed."Emily finished

" Emily, that's great work thank you…" I said.

"Do we have anything on the galleries they own?" Mae asked.

Jake, who was now standing next to Jasper, raised his hand cautiously. I had told him more than once that what had happened at the Costello boxing raid was in the past, but he was still desperately trying to re prove himself.

"You're a big boy now Jake. You don't have to ask permission to go to the bathroom…" Jasper teased easing the tension perfectly.

"The galleries are in Paris, Rome and Volterra…they are supposedly owned by a woman named Irina Georgiou…I'm still checking." Jake growled blushing furiously.

"What about Devlin? Who was he introduced to?" Harris queried.

"Irina Georgiou…" Mae said

"Right, so we have a lead…I want Irina Denali from the cradle up to this moment…" I announced.

"Well I can give you one thing now. She is Volturi's wife…" Emily said.

"Is she really?" I crowed in delight. I couldn't help rubbing my hands together, as I felt the jolt of adrenaline and excitement that came with making connections, creating possible leads grip my body.

"That's nothing…he once went through a bit of a Sherlock Holmes phase…actually raced out of the office saying something about the 'game being afoot." Jasper said in answer, to the highly amused look my hand rubbing and excited face had caused Mae, and several other members of the team to bestow upon me.

"Yes, thank you Inspector Whitlock…for that fascinating, but totally unwanted trip down memory lane…" I hissed hoping my blush I felt was not visible.

" Sorry sir…" Jasper mumbled apologetically, but with a teasing twinkle still in his eye. I wasn't really angry and the banter had been a lot worse in the office, but it was my job after all, to keep people focused on the job in hand.

"So, has Devlin actually made anything for this Georgiou woman?" Jasper queried his tone business like once more. "No, Gerry may be a lot of things, but he's not stupid. He realized that this was a step above his league and, he's too old to be doing the long stretch that comes with drugs charges these days…"

"And how did Georgiou take this?"

"She upped the offer she made him and left him to think it over, that was three days ago. But now the shit has well and truly hit the fan, I think she, Stefano will lay low for a little while. Go back to the drawing board…" I said.

"But I don't think Irina or Stefano will want to hang around for too long…we've created a rival syndicate that has made a move to buy the first shipment." Marcus announced as he strode into the SCI office.

"Gee thanks, as if the situation isn't complicated enough as it is." Jasper snarked

"God, I really wish he'd call first…or at least knock…before he just strides in like he owns the place…" I grumbled.

"Don't worry boss, the only flash Yankee spook we'll ever take orders from is…" Tweed began to whisper to me but stopped, mouth hanging open and eyes wide in horror as he realized what he was saying, and who he was saying it too. I had to bite down hard on the inside of my cheek to stop myself laughing. I knew his clumsy words were meant as a compliment, as did Mae.

"Aww thanks Tweed…that's very sweet." She whispered to the mortified Tweed.

"Evan French, his mother has officially reported him as a missing person. She was expecting him home from his gap year nearly ten days ago. When she couldn't raise him on his cell, or email…she went to the police. Mae, you and Jasper know him…have a connection…"

"Yeah, we made a real connection when he was pointing a gun at me and Mae was slamming him face first into the asphalt on the roof…" Jasper growled.

"He spoke to you…" Marcus insisted.

"Marcus, apart from swearing at us, all he did was cry and beg us to shoot him…" Mae argued.

**ESME POV**

"DRUGS! NO WAY! NO!...You've got the wrong boy…you must have the wrong boy…" Linda French, Evan's mother exploded, shaking her head furiously as if to shake our words from her head and reaffirm what she knew of her son.

"Is this your son Evan?" Jasper asked softly, pressing a copy of Evan's photo into her hands.

"Yes, that's my Evan…but…but…drugs…nooo…why? He's a clever lad…he's at university…the first one in our family to go…why…why would he do something so stupid…why?" she demanded weakly. Watching the devastating realization, that we were actually talking about her son, her 'clever lad' as she kept calling him over and over, dawn on French's mother was heartbreaking.

"Can I see him?"

"Linda…as we told you, the people Evan has been involved with, they are not nice people as you can imagine…working in the drugs trade…"

"Is he hurt? Have they hurt him?" she demanded, but there was no weakness or desperation this time, just the fierceness that all mothers had when it came to protecting their children, especially when they thought that child was hurt. Linda was doubled over on the sofa in the soft interview room of the station her arms, were wrapped tightly around herself as if she was trying to hold herself and the shattered pieces of her heart and life together. Jasper gently took one of her hands from round her middle and held it tightly in his own

"Physically, he's fine…but mentally…Linda, you said it yourself, he's just a kid. Everything that's happened…it's been too much for him to take...we want to help him, but to do that we need him to talk to us. But he's too frightened at the moment to do that…"

"Please let me see him…" she whimpered.

"Linda, we have the best doctors looking after him…" Jasper crooned reassuringly, the devastated woman was clinging to Jasper's hand as if it were a life line. Her red rimmed and swollen eyes, were firmly fixed on his calm face, so when he looked at me, her gaze followed.

"Dr Denali, she is specially trained in helping people who have suffered severe mental trauma…" I began

"He's afraid of the dark…" she said suddenly. "And he's allergic to asprin, he had his appendix out when he was twelve…oh god, he has asthma…only a little bit, but it tends to get worse in the cold and damp weather…like it is now…" she babbled.

"Linda…" Jasper began confused.

"This is great Linda, sometimes it's the smallest things that can make the difference…" I said reassuringly, praying that Jasper would heed my message to let her talk. It was shock. It took a few minutes, but finally Jasper managed to ease himself from Mrs French's vice like grip and leave to get us all some tea, with plenty of extra sugar in Mrs French's.

"Here, it is a little chilly in here…" I said quickly taking off my blazer and sitting down next to Mrs French. The room was stiflingly warm but the poor woman was trembling.

"For some reason, they turn the air conditioning on in winter and the heat in summer…" I joked lamely as I draped it round her shoulders. Her lips twitched in a slight smile

"These people…they can't hurt him, where he is…they can't hurt him anymore?"she queried.

"No, he's safe. We have someone with him at all times…" I said.

"But I can't see him…"she whispered.

"Not yet…" I whispered. The raw agony in her eyes took my breath away.

"I wouldn't stay long…five minutes…just long enough to see for myself that he's okay…" Linda French begged gripping my arm tightly.

"I'm sorry…"

Suddenly, the body that had only seconds ago had been almost bent double with grief, was straight and tense and her eyes were hard.

"You haven't got kids 'ave ya?"

"No…"

"Didn't think so…else you wouldn't be such a cold hearted bitch about letting me see my Evan…" she spat.

I found myself literally recoiling back into my seat at the force and venom of her words.

"You can tell Mister Whitlock has…he understands…"

Jasper had let her cry on his shoulder, and empathasized over how hard it is to making the right decisions when it came to raising children. Danielle's angelic little face had even raised a smile from this devastated woman, when Jasper had shown her one of the many photo's he carried in his wallet.

"He wanted to let me see my Evan…I know he did, I saw it in his face…but you, you said no. I saw you…shaking your head…giving him the evil eye…" she raged, springing up from her seat and beginning to pace round the room. Jasper had looked to me once during Mrs French's rambling pleas to see her son. It was killing us both, and if I could of I would have let her. But we didn't know if Volturi had already got people watching her. As Evan wasn't talking, we didn't know if it was a threat to his mother's safety, alongside whatever drug, gambling or prostitute based situation he'd gotten himself into, that had caused him to do what he had done. We still had to tell her that for her own safety, she would have to be moved into one of our safe houses, until we knew for sure what was happening. Her hands were scrapping through her short hair roughly and her eyes were almost wild with anger, fear and confusion.

"HE…HE'S MY SON!...HE NEEDS ME…HE…YOU…YOU…" she raged, stabbing a finger towards me viciously. God forgive me for what I was about to do. But as Marcus suggested earlier, it wouldn't be long before Irina Georgiou was forced to make a move to try and get the drugs back to Volturi in his main base of Voltura. We needed all the information we could get, as fast as we could get it. And Carmen Denali had said that Evan would not even be aware that his mother was there, such was the level of his fear induced catatonia.

"I AM THE PERSON, WHO STOPPED YOUR SON BEING BLOWN AWAY BY ARMED POLICE OFFICERS ON THAT ROOF YESTERDAY" I replied in a tone just as loud as hers as I too got to my feet. If I hadn't have pulled rank on Sgt Potter, and insisted on going up on the roof alone, Evan would have panicked and would have ended up being shot. It was Linda French's turn to recoil now.

"This…this is really happening isn't it?" she stammered, frail and uncertain once more.

"Yes…I'm sorry, truly I am…" I said stepping forward and wrapping a supportive arm around her as I guided her back towards the sofa.

"You will protect him…keep him safe…" she demanded gripping the front of my shirt.

"I promise…would you like me to give him a message?"

"Just…just tell him…I love him…"

Three hours later, Jasper and I had Linda French settled in a safe house. We had, for her own sake, had to sedate the woman after promising faithfully that Dr Denali would come and see her the following day with an update on Evan's condition. Which despite, large bolus doses, of medications used effectively, to help ease patients out of catatonia, was the same. And according to Carmen, would stay that way for awhile.

My head was pounding and I felt totally drained, both physically and mentally. I needed to see Carlisle, if only for a few minutes. I had left Jasper parking his Audi and gone on ahead into the station. Walking into the SCI office, I found the team trying to make as much noise as possible in an attempt to cover the sound of the raised voices coming from Carlisle's office.

"I hate to remind you of the small print Carlisle…but Mae's title is a liason officer. Technically, she shouldn't spend half as much time here working for you as she does. Especially since you two developed the ultimate conflict of interest by getting hitched. Sorry I couldn't make it, heard it was quite the party. I'm sure Mae made a truly stunning bride…I hope you realize just how lucky you are…" I heard Marcus say through the door, in a tone that despite its lightness, was in fact the first sign that his temper, which was usually hard to rile, was very near the surface.

I didn't need this shit. I didn't want this shit anymore.

"What's the matter Marcus? Did Mae and I getting back together interrupt some unrequited crush you had on Mae? Tut…tut…and you a happily married, good Catholic man…isn't there a commandment about."

"Don't mind me boys…you just carrying on…it's not like we're in an office full of people or anything…roof now…both of you…" I snarled as I burst through the door of Carlisle's office.

"Well thanks a fucking lot Marcus, that little display has just undone, all the effort Carlisle and I have put in trying to get the team to accept us…" I almost screamed at Marcus, the moment he stepped onto the roof. "And you can stop fucking smirking…why the fuck did you rise to it? What the hell could he have said, that caused you to start with all the caveman bullshit?" I demanded rounding on Carlisle.

"You mean, apart from the fact that he came in to take great delight in telling me, that whilst we are up to our necks in a shit storm he helped create, he is taking you off the team for a week, to baby sit some Russian billionaire. After you, had assured me you had said no tothe job…and all it entailed" Carlisle replied icily.

"I did say no…" I stammered, slightly taken aback by the coldness in his eyes that I had not seen directed at me, for a long time. You know I said no to that job…you know I said no…more than once…" I hissed at Marcus.

"I know…she did you know…it was very touching, hearing how she wouldn't feel comfortable anymore, using her…not inconsiderable charms…out of respect for you…" Marcus taunted.

"I don't know what the fuck has got into you but…" I almost spat in Marcus' face as I positioned myself in between him and Carlisle, who was pacing like a caged animal getting ready to spring behind me.

"You wanna know what's wrong with me? I have just come from arranging to have Sam's body shipped back to the States. I've just had another fucking meeting, where fucking number crunching desk jockey's have told me that they are cutting my budgets and manpower again…l have just had someone from personnel, come and tell me that one of the best bloody operatives I have, have ever had, has been enquiring about taking a sabattical." Marcus raged, his olive skinned face turning a worrying shade of angry red.

"Incase you have forgotten, we are fighting a war…" he began again.

"Marcus…don't even think about giving me the fucking patriotic and duty lecture…I warn you…I have had the afternoon from hell…Yes, I will be taking a sabbatical after this case is done. I'm tired…losing my edge…I told you that before remember…before I came here last year…"

"Maybe if I'd have listened then, kept you home…"

"It would have been my body you would be arranging to ship home from god knows where…"

I heard the sharp and painful intake of breath, from Carlisle who was still pacing behind me.

Fuck. I didn't need this. My head was threatening to explode and instead of giving me the strength I needed to get through to the end of this shitty day, Carlisle's coldness was making the vulnerability I felt coming from my meeting with Linda French, even more acute.

"I can insist that she stays on my team if she is involved in something vital to a case of National Security…I've read the small print of our deal as well." Carlisle sneered at Marcus finally.

"Carlisle…"

"What? It's true…and Marcus himself said that you and Jasper had a connection with Evan French. He could be ready to interview at any time…"

The look of malice and challenge dancing in his eyes, told me that Carlisle wasn't really thinking about what I wanted, how the thought of babysitting this Russian and what it entailed, made me want to heave. He was trying to score points off Marcus in their caveman pissing match.

"When's the briefing?" I hissed at Marcus

"Two hours, at our place." He replied turning on his heel.

"I'll be there…"

Carlisle and I stood for the longest moment, simply staring at each other. This was one of those moments, we knew could happen working together, but had dreaded.

"I was…trying to give you an out…"he said finally in a tight voice.

"Did I ask you too? I thought we agreed…if I need your help…I will ask for it…and you weren't doing that for my benefit and you know it" I said sharply.

"So you really do, want to go hang out with the Russian for a week? If you fancied a week in a five star hotel all you had to do was say." He sneered, his voice still menacingly low.

His words and the venom behind them, hit me with the force of a slap to the face.

"I have no choice…apart from the fact that Marcus could and probably would, have pulled every damn string he has in his sweaty fucking paw, to have me moved from the SCI for good. I can't…I won't let some green as grass rookie straight out of Langely end up the same way as Sam…" I said, desperately trying to stop my voice from cracking with the tears of frustration I could feel balling in my throat.

"How very noble…I'm sure the estate agent will think so too, when I call him and tell him why we won't be able to make the house viewing…" Carlisle said quietly as he walked away.

**AN; *Ducks under desk for cover* I know! I know! I'm horrible, but there is method to my madness. And we all know what happens after a fight. Remember what happened the last time they had a fight? No, not when Alice and the others let themselves into flat and had a perve. The bit before that. Lol. There was bound to come a time when they would fall out over a case, and with this being their last one for awhile, emotions were always going to be running high.**

**All can say is, trust me. And remember this is me. I want them happy as much as you xx**


	24. Chapter 24

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN: You guys are amazing. Thank you so much for your continued support. Please keep doing what you do. This chap is M rated for lemons, including a slightly kinky Mae at the end. (It's a one off, she's proving a point-*runs to hide*) Language. There are also several songs used in this chap. You can skip over them. It's just I thought they fit the story. Thankyou as always for indulging me.**

**Four days Later**

**CARLISLE POV**

"Fuuuccck offff…" I mumbled into my pillow as the shrill warble of my cell phone dragged me out of my already restless sleep. But as I reached across to the nightstand, and my foggy brain registered the fact that I was laying in the middle of the bed and reaching across Mae's empty side, I sprang up knocking things flying.

"Mae?" I stammered.

But instead of Mae's voice, I heard a man's deep, raspy Russian accented voice.

"_**I'm sorry…what did you say your name was?"**_ the man who had to be Ortesky asked. His voice was distant, as if he was standing away from the phone, obviously not talking to me. Mae had left the line open for my benefit. Scrabbling around in the drawer of the night stand, I hooked my phone up to the small recorder I kept there. In my job, you could never be too careful incase something I said, was recorded and later used against me, by a criminal looking for an albi. And after one such case, which had seriously almost cost me my job, I had taken no chances and begun recording any unexpected calls.

"_**Irina…Irina Georgiou. You visited the gallery of a friend of mine yesterday, bought several lovely pieces. But you left, before she could tell you about the expert shipping and handling services my firm can offer you…" Georgiou said silkily.**_

Whoever this gallery owner was, he or she had almost certainly, received a not so friendly warning about failing to meet their 'sales targets'. Further digging had revealed that Irina had orchestrated the first 'protection' racket in the art gallery world. The gallery owners would heavily, promote the use of Irina and Stefano's specialist art haulage firm, in return for not having, not only their stock but more importantly their reputation destroyed.

Irina was good, over the next few minutes she used every trick and type of flattery in the book, but Ortesky was a man who was set in his ways and was wary of letting too many people into his trusted inner circle.

"_**But those big oaf's you used the last time…they almost destroyed my cute little picture of the doggies playing poker…you had to spend a fortune having it repaired…" **_Mae simpered suddenly, in a pouty, breathy voice that I hardly recognized. _**"Maybe we should give this lady…Rene…"**_

"_**Irina."**_ Georgiou snapped, just about keeping the irritation out of her tone.

"_**oops, sorry.."**_Mae giggled. I had seen Mae work in many ways over the years, but never in simpering bimbo mode. And I was kind of glad that I could only hear it, rather than see it. My Mae wasn't a bimbo.

But that's not your Mae! You stupid, possessive, jealous fuck. That is AGENT Mae Marshall Cullen…doing her damn job. A job that she didn't want to do, but did anyway, because she knew there was no other choice…because she knew it was the only way to ensure that she got to stay on your team.

"_**Ahh, how can I say no to that beautiful face?"**_ Ortesky slurred.

It was eleven thirty and they must have been at some party by the sounds of things.

"_**You just watch, where you're putting those big old, hands of yours…this dress is very expensive…" **_Mae said sweetly, but I heard the icy hard, pissed off tone beneath.

"_**So? I buy you a hundred new pretty dresses…you are after all, my very own pretty pet to dress up, and play with and touch…however I like…"**_ Ortesky snarled.

Oh fuck no!…he did not just say that,…lay his slimy hands on…talk to my wife like…

That's not your wife Carlisle. That's not your wife…professional…be professional…I repeated desperately over and over in my head.

"_**You keep that up…you naughty boy…and I may just have to drag you off to the bedroom, to show you…how rough this little pet can play…and how hard she…bites…" **_Mae purred in a tone which on the outside might have sounded seductive, but which I knew from experience was a warning that she was about to explode.

HA! Now that's my wife! I crowed to myself silently. Oh God, what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall, when Mae rips his balls off and force feeds them down his throat for talking and acting like that I thought. Thankfully, Ortesky the Russian Mae was guarding laughed. and began muttering what I hoped and what sounded like endearments in Russian

"_**So Mr Ortesky…could we perhaps arrange a meeting…we wouldn't want any more of your…friends little treasures being damaged." **_Irina Georgiou sneered.

"_**You're so sweet…" **_Mae simpered acidly.

"_**Dinner tonight…in my suite at the hotel. So we can talk business without being disturbed. Early…seven, I have plans. You can distract me whilst I wait for Ava to get ready…"**_Ortesky announced finally.

"_**I'd be delighted. I'm sure it must take her quite a while…to make herself look that che…charming…"**_ Irina said, catching herself just in time.

Mae hadn't said a word, but I could almost hear her mentally screaming at me that the bitch was hers when it came to the eventual take down. What ever you want baby…whatever you want. Just be careful please…I replied silently, praying she could hear me.

"_**It's not that long…so we'll see you later…can't wait…"**_ Mae trilled before the phone went dead, and I was left floundering like a fucking confused teenager trying to interpret what I heard. Was there something in her tone aimed at me? Was I imagining it? Get a grip Carlisle, if there was, it was probably because of the meeting. She called because she was doing her damn job, giving you a heads up on a meeting that could be beneficial to our case.

So Georgiou and in turn Stefano Volturi must really be desperate to get their hands on the first shipment of the new drug. As Marcus had said, he had 'created' a new cartel interested in being the main European distributors. At a meeting earlier that week between Georgiou, the men from the Batari lab and the new 'interested party', the men from Batari had said that as a 'good will gesture', they would give Georgiou and Stefano another fortnight to pay for and arrange the safe movement of the drug from England back to Voltera. The money had been taken care of two days ago.

Phone taps, allowed us to hear the nasty phone call between Stefano and Irina where he told her in no uncertain terms, that after the mess that was made of things before, she was to take care of things personally. They had used diamonds as payment again, but this time a very nervous Irina, had met with the man from Batari at a tube station, where they had carried out an old fashioned, but effective briefcase swap. I had wanted to accompany Marcus to watch it take place, after what happened with Julian, I was wary of totally trusting the word of a spy. Jasper had, forcefully told me that he was going, stating that he couldn't trust that I wouldn't 'accidentally on purpose' push Marcus under a train or vice versa. He had a point.

Right. Focus Carlisle! I thought to myself, as I dragged myself out of bed and padded into the lounge.

What was the time? Just gone midnight. Could I call Jasper? We would need a briefing, arrange how we could get some electrical ears and maybe some eyes into Ortesky's suite. Danielle's feed would be about now, so I wouldn't wake her really…Or I could call Emmett, he was the gadget man. Damn it. I couldn't think straight. This case was

Damn It! And what could he do now? No, the morning would be early enough. We were due for an seven thirty start. All I had to do, was fill the seemingly endless hours until then. Sleeping was out. The bed was too damn big and cold…just like the whole house without her. I hit the play button on the CD player

"_**There'll be days, when we're on different sides**_

_**But that doesn't last too long.**_

_**We'll find ways, to get it on track**_

_**And know how to turn back on.**_

Edward's voice sounded slightly distorted, as the CD of the song Mae had written as my birthday and wedding present, began to play for what could easily have been the thousandth time in four days. I flung myself heavily down on the couch, almost crushing a pillow against my chest.

The song, the words of that verse in particular, where the only damn thing that could drown out Mae's cold hard words, which had been echoing on never ending repeat around my head, for the last four days. I know she had just called me, but I hadn't actually heard her voice in days. After the spending the first forty eight hours, settling into the routine of her body guarding job and getting over her justifiable anger at my behavior, Mae could have come home during the night hours when the relief team arrived, the hotel she was staying at was only fifteen minutes away by car. But she had called me the second night of her assignment;

"_I'm not coming home Carlisle…I can't. I need to focus on what I'm doing. Ortesky is a contrary bast…, let's just say it feels like I've stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire…" she had said pointedly._

The silence that had followed was heavy with emotion and the unspoken…frustrated, angry, remorseful, words we needed to say.

"_Be careful…please…" I had said quietly_

"_Always am…" she had replied before hanging up._

She knew, she knew that the time would come when I, and I think we both knew that it would if anyone was going to have trouble with our working relationship when we were married, it would be me, would turn into an arrogant, jealous possessive caveman asshole. But that knowledge had not been enough to prepare either of us, for just how much it hurt to be on 'different sides'.

It had been almost five days and four, agonizingly long and restless nights since our fight.

"_Fuck Carlisle! You are my best friend, but you really don't know how fucking close I am to punching your fucking lights out right now." He had raged when he had arrived at the apartment later on the night of our fight. I had not seen Mae come down from the roof, but she had obviously been home to collect the things she would need for the week she would spend at the hotel._

"_We had the fucking afternoon from hell with Evan French's mother man…I mean a full on, hit by an emotional fucking freight train afternoon. And before you say it, yeah I know, we all have days like that, but at least I get to go home and hug and kiss the shit out of my girls to help me get over it. What does Mae fucking get? Marcus pushing her into another fucking job and you…acting like a complete…"_

Jasper had raged at me, after cornering me in the men's toilets to find out why Marcus, had come down from the roof looking like the 'cat who had swallowed a cream covered canary'.

After brooding in my office for a couple of hours like the childish emotionally retarded idiot I was, I raced out and headed to Marcus' office where the briefing was taking place.

Mae had already gone. Figuring that she would need to go home and pack, I almost got myself arrested for jumping every red light on the two mile journey home.

She wasn't there. I hadn't missed her by long, as there had been a still warm coffee mug on the counter. But already the apartment felt, smelt wrong. Cold, empty, she had taken her warmth, her comfort with her and that had made me…act like an even bigger idiot. I had proceeded to get drunk and convince myself that what I had said had been at least partially right, instead of a load of jealousy fuelled bollocks. I also had vague memories, of coming up with at least four, different ways to kick the shit out of and then later dismember Marcus.

I'm still not a hundred percent sure what the hell his problem was. I understood just how stressful it was, having to impress on the bean counters how you needed every penny of your budget and several thousand pounds more, to do your job anyway effectively. And dealing with the fall out from Sam's death must have been hell, but the venomous vitriol that had spewed out of his mouth about Mae and I had been totally unexpected. He had always, even when things had been really tough, seemed and acted like he was genuinely happy for us. Maybe I had been too naïve, the man was a fucking spook, he lied for a living, his very survival could depend on him being able to convince someone that black was white and vice versa.

Now I had had time to think about it, I could pinpoint exactly what it was he had said or done that had set me off. I hated the fact he just barged into my office unannounced, and sometimes spoke to me like I was some wet behind the ears rookie in front ofthe team. And it wasn't because I didn't think that Mae couldn't handle the task of babysitting Vladimir Ortesky, the Russian Billionaire, who had ownership, of two major gas supply lines and a broadcasting company, and more importantly the ear of the Russian President. Although the thought of Ortesky a known womanizer, drooling over her or worse, trying and I knew the key word was trying, as Mae would break his fucking arm, without a second thought.

"_It was very touching, hearing how she wouldn't feel comfortable anymore, using her not inconsiderable charms…out of respect for you…"_ Marcus had sneered.

And she had told me this. I had heard her almost screaming at Marcus the previous week when he had first told her about the assignment. She didn't want to do it, didn't want to be part of Ortesky's James Bond Inspired fantasy life, of being surrounded the clichéd man mountains, but only having a female close protection bodyguard, who so as not to arouse suspicion, was supposed to dress and act like an escort come girlfriend. In public at least. Hence Mae's performance at the party with Ortesky and Irina Georgiou. In any private meetings, it was up to the agent to use their initiative as to how they would stay close enough to offer protection.

"_I can't, I won't let a green as grass rookie straight out of Langley end up like Sam…"_

She was right. She was thinking with her professional head, whilst I was thinking with my possessive caveman head. Shit like this was always going to happen in our jobs, get in the way of real life, it was a bastard and hurt like hell, but it was a fact of life, our lives as they were at this moment. Not as they would be at some as yet, undetermined point in the future when I would get to go home, to the house we hadn't even found yet, to where Mae and please God, at least one of our two children to be would be waiting. I knew that this was going to be our future and that Mae wanted it, couldn't wait for it to happen just as much as me. But for some stupid, fucked up reason, Marcus taking her away for the body guarding job, talking about her being the best operative he had, hearing him sneer at her plans for a sabbatical where she was going to start making our home, our families home, had caused me to panic and lash out viciously at the wrong person.

She had had no choice. As she had said, Marcus in the mood he was in, would have done everything in his power to split us up professionally and I…she, we needed one last hit of the intoxicating buzz we both received from working together.

I hadn't intended to do the whole 'good cop, bad cop' thing when we went to see Gerry Devlin. But my almost childish excitement, at being freed from the confines of my damn desk and never ending paper work, coupled my desire to fulfill Mae's wish of the two of us leaving the criminal underworld with a lasting memory of just how damn good we were together, had bought out the devil in me. Mae too. I hadn't expected her to go as far as she had in smashing things in the shop, but it had worked. She had sized him up instantly, and realized that that the stock in his shop, was Gerry's escape fund. A quick stock clearance sale to either the public, or another dealer, would give him some quick cash if or should I say when, he pissed off or failed to deliver to the wrong peopleand had to get out of town in a hurry.

We had come out of the shop not exactly thrilled, by the fact we had had to resort to such drastic action, but both buzzing that our professional connection was still as strong and effective as ever. But then Marcus had shown up.

Three days into our separation and I was truly suffering physical pain at not seeing or hearing from Mae. She had not left a note when she had left, and because she was on a job for Marcus, she didn't have to check in with me or the SCI. I had almost got down on my knees in front of a seriously pissed off Rose, to use her contacts in Marcus' office to just make sure she was okay and the job was going well.

_**She's fine-No thanks to you.**_

One thing about Rose. She tells it like it is, painful, rude, confrontational or otherwise. And she was right.

"Well Mae looks like crap…" Emmett growled, glaring at me darkly.

"What do you mean she looks like crap?"

"What I said…she's as pale as a ghost, looks like she hasn't slept in a fucking year…"

Mae had managed to send a text to Marcus this morning, alerting him that she had disabled the heating in the suite. Meaning that Emmett could enter the suite with a real engineer, and place listening devices in strategic locations.

"OKAY! Okay…my name is Carlisle and I am a possessive, jealous arsehole, who let the damn spook wind me up and caused me to not only take my eye of the game…but also to fuck with the head of one of my team before an op…and I hate myself for it…" I raged, my voice becoming ragged and embarrassingly emotional on my last words. "happy now"? I hissed.

"Ecstatic. And I'll be even happier, when you go fix your little fuck up. I know we may not get much out of Georgiou's meeting, especially if Ortesky decides to be as much of a contrary fucker as Mae and all the other reports tell us he can be…"

"I think there's a good chance, he might be feeling a little um…angry at the world." Emmett sniggered.

Jasper and I both looked at him.

"He was um…limping rather heavily, and it might have been me, maybe he always talks like he's auditioning for the Bee Gee's…" he said an evil grin twitching his lips. I couldn't help the harsh bark of laughter that escaped me.

"Okay sooo, it seems Mae might be transferring some of her…annoyance at you…onto Ortesky…" Jasper said desperately trying and failing, to stop the grin twitching his lips. He had heard the tape of the conversation Mae had let me hear last night.

"Carlisle, seriously…fix this now…we don't know how quickly this case is going to move. The team needs you two, to have that weird psychic ass kicking thing you have working properly. I …we …need…" Jasper said indicating Emmett who was leaning against the back the back of my office door, arms folded and one leg crossed over the other. "Our friends back, Alice is killing me, even Danielle is giving me the evil eye…and you two, you need each other. You function, do your jobs, but man…you look freaking ugly doing it…have you actually slept this last week?"

" No, and I want to fix it, apologize…more than anything. But I am not going to mess with her head any more than I have already done…" I said firmly.

"Uh huh, whatever…but I'm sure…no I'm pretty much certain, that if you were to start your pathetic groveling…as you were helping wire her up with one of these little babies…she wouldn't mind that much…" Emmett said matter of factly, holding up the wire that Mae had asked for, just incase.

The main bar of One St John, the new achingly on trend boutique and bar was beautifully decorated, the very expensive champagne was perfectly chilled and the clientele impressive, if celebrity spotting was your thing.

It wasn't my kind of place at all and not only, because I had spotted at least five drug deals and public decency offences being committed within thirty seconds of entering the room. It reminded me of the seemingly never ending, lonely nights I spent doing and going anywhere, to avoid returning to an empty apartment after Mae had left me all those years ago. But as I had to keep reminding myself, tonight, the only woman I would be looking for and leaving with, was Mae. One St John's was only a ten minute car journey from the hotel where Mae was staying with Ortesky.

I sat myself at the bar ordered a drink, then firmly fixed my focus on the door.

Where was she? It was almost six now.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what's a man like you, doing in a place like this? I mean, you really don't look the type of man who finds…surgically enhanced soap starlets and reality TV stars…particularly… stimulating." A low, seductive voice purred somewhere to my left.

I really did not need this now, but if I ignored this woman whoever she was, it would only draw unwanted attention. The last thing I needed were the over eager security guards in my face. It turned in my seat, and was totally disgusted with the fact that I couldn't stop myself from shamelessly staring at the mystery woman's legs, which seemed to take forever to reach the hem of the midnight blue almost black…body con dress. I did sometimes listen when Alice lectured on fashion. Then as if to torture me even further, she proceeded to cross her legs, very…very…or that's how it felt.

Carlisle, get a fucking grip. You are here working. Mae…Mae…your Mae, your wife Mae, the woman you fucking adore will be arriving at any minute, I screamed inside my head.

There was something weirdly familiar in the way she had crossed her legs. Christ, I really was losing it. Mae, where are you love?

It was a miracle, that the glass I was holding didn't smash such was the pressure I placed on it, as I looked up into the mystery woman's face. She was wearing a lot more make up than I personally liked to see, or ever had seen her wear. But it was her eyes…her short auburn red hair, only served to enhance the hypnotic intensity of the fathomless green pools that were fixed on me.

"I could say the same about you…unless of course, you have a liking for overpaid soccer players…" I mumbled stupidly.

" No, only soccer player I'm interested in , is strictly Sunday five aside league…he's a pretty aggressive, emotional player, but fair…most of the time…" she said pointedly, a small tight smile twitching her lips.

"Well I'm sure that…when he does…become stupidly competitive and aggressive…he seriously regrets it…" I rasped my voice rough with emotion. Her green eyes seemed to grow even deeper, as they softened with emotion.

"Oh, I know that…" she said softly letting her hand rest on mine. It was strange, but we both seemed to jump at the sudden almost electrical charge that passed between us.

"Another drink Sir? Madam?" the barman asked silkily from somewhere behind us.

"No, thank you…we don't have time…" she said in a tired and pained tone that tore at my heart.

"Give me your jacket…" she whispered as we made our way out of the bar and across the foyer to the lifts. Taking off my jacket, I slipped it over her shoulders. l heard her breath catch in her throat as I left my hands on her shoulders for a long moment. I couldn't stop myself from moving to stand even closer behind her, my hands still on her shoulders, whilst taking junkie style deep breaths of her scent.

The doors of the lift had barely closed before my jacket was hanging over the camera in the corner. For a long moment, Mae stood on one side of the elevator, whilst I stood on the other. We were just staring at each other. There was so much to say, but as she had told the bar tender…we didn't have time.

"Hold me…just for a minute…please…" she pleaded finally, her calm seductive demeanour of a few minutes ago, completely gone. I didn't need asking twice. I literally whimpered with relief, at the feel of her arms wrapping themselves around my waist.

"I'm sorry…Mae…I'm so sorry love…I am a jealous, possessive, competitive arse hole…I know I…"I babbled into her hair, where my face was buried.

"Yes you are…but not now Carlisle…not now…just hold me…" Mae pleaded into my chest. We stood for a long moment, just reveling in the feel of each other. Finally however, as I saw that the elevator was quickly approaching the roof, I pulled away and hit the emergency stop button. It was Mae's turn to whimper.

"I'm being professional…a masochist, but professional…" I stammered giving her a small smile. Moving quickly to my jacket, I retrieved the small wire, careful not to dislodge my jacket from the camera lense.

"So…um this is quite a dress…quite a look,…it's not…" I stammered again waving my hand in indication of her dress, which was a lot shorter, tighter and cheaper looking than I first thought, and her short red hair.

"Me?" she offered.

I nodded.

"That is the whole damn point Carlisle, the Mae that sometimes has to go out in the field, and deal with pigs like Ortesky…she's not me. She's not your Mae…you have to realize that…" Mae said softly over her shoulder as she turned so her back was facing me. "Could you…" she said nodding her head at her zip.

"Of um..yes..of course…" I mumbled.

"Okay, when did you turn into Hugh Grant?" she chuckled softly.

I couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped me, as with trembling fingers I tugged on her zip. The dress pooled at her feet.

I couldn't contain the strangled half moan, half growl that escaped me. She was wearing a lacy pink and black bra, which was barely containing her breasts. If that wasn't torture enough, her legs made even longer and more shapely by the killer heels, were covered in stockings and suspenders. I had seen Mae in stockings and suspenders before, but this…this underwear was cheap looking and a little tacky.

"Carlisle, close your mouth love…gimme…" she said holding out her hand for the device.

"Sssorrry…here…okay, I know that this…this outfit doesn't belong to my Mae, but do you think my Mae could borrow it…bring it home…" the words were out of my mouth before I realized. What the hell was I saying? I was still in trouble, we may have had a moment, but I knew I still had a lot of making up to do. Talk about pushing your luck Carlisle…idiot.

Mae chuckled dirtily, in a way that only my Mae had. In a way that sent another painful rush of need to my groin.

"So there are a few positive things, about my…outside assignments…" she purred turning and pressing her body against me. I growled in response. We were literally sharing the same breath we were standing so closely entwined.

"You…you have to trust me…" she breathed her lips brushing mine.

"I do…"

"But you let someone…Marcus…" she almost spat the word. "you let him make you doubt me…doubt my word…that hurt me Carlisle…" she said her voice rough with emotion.

My lips were on hers before she had finished saying my name.

"Sorry…so…sorry…" I breathed round the edge of the kiss. Her lips were unyielding and she wouldn't let me, despite the desperate pleading of my tounge, inside her mouth.

"Words…Carlisle…words…"

I hissed as on her last word, Mae bit down a little roughly on my lower lip.

"I want…actions…but…not now…" she said stepping away from me and reaching for her dress and turning the power back onto the lift. It took a minute, but my lust haze cleared and I realized that the listening device was one of the new ones that that were small, and therefore able to fit inside her bra. There had been no need at all, for her to remove her dress and torment me with that underwear…apart from her need to make me suffer.

"I can come home tonight, when the night team come and take over…" Mae said quietly out of the corner of her mouth as we walked through the foyer of the Hotel, ignoring the knowing looks and smirks we had been getting since the lift we had commandeered, had come back down to the foyer.

Yes!Yes! Yes! Come home. Come home to me, our bed…where I can make a start of showing you in actions…just how sorry I am. Come home, where can I start doing whatever it takes, to make you forgive me for hurting you. I thought to myself. I couldn't believe what I was about to say, why was I condemning myself to another long, restless night in an empty house, an empty bed? Why was I denying myself the possible, desperately needed physical relief, that if I wasn't mistaken Mae needed, wanted as much as I. Mae was having to walk right in front of me, to try and hide the painful and embarrassingly prominent arousal her little stunt in the lift had caused.

"No,… you can't…You have to stay with Ortesky…you have a job to finish" I ground out.

Mae's head snapped round to look at me. There was shock, a little hurt, but most of all relief and gratitude.

I'm trying Mae. Please god realize that I'm trying. I'm trying to show you in action's rather than words…please realize that.

"TAXI"! I called stepping out into the street to hail a cab, to take Mae back to her hotel and the meeting with Irina Georgiou. One stopped, and I opened the door for Mae.

"Just be careful…please…I said softly giving her arm a gentle squeeze.

"Always…" she replied brushing my lips softly with her own, before she climbed inside. She leant lowered the window and leant through.

"I guess I just need to really listen to the song you wrote…" I sighed with a small smile.

"Verse four…" she said as the cab pulled away from the kerb.

"And what the hell are you looking so damn happy about? All that work of getting the suite wired for sound, and that bloody Russian decides not to play ball." Marcus raged.

We were sat in the SCI's media suite, listening back to the tapes from the listening devices that had been placed around Ortesky's suite to catch his meeting with Irina Georgiou.

Irina Georgiou had pulled out all the stops, moving from being a hard nosed and professional businesswoman, to a quite embarrassingly shameless flirt, in an attempt to get him to hire her art haulage firm to ship the purchases he had made whilst in London, to one of his summer homes in the millionaires playground of Monaco. But, after leading her on over dinner, he had firmly refused to move his business from the firm he already used. Irina's final desperate, attempts to get him to change his mind, had been met with a polite, but firm brush off. Irina had not been invited to stay for coffee after dinner.

"As we all heard on the phone tap, Stefano Volturi is not a happy man, there is what?…a week left of the deadline the Batari Syndicate has given him to find a way to ship the dugs to Volterra…" Marcus growled.

"Okay, I just want to make sure I have this right…" Jake began. "Because they don't know what Evan French has told us, which is nothing, Volturi's gang has decided not to use their old method of transporting stuff in specially made vases.

"Ivy League material this kid…" Marcus sneered.

"Go on Jake…" I prompted.

Christ if it wasn't for the fact, that it would give him a twisted sense of satisfaction, I would so happily kick the crap out of Marcus.

"I can understand, see how they can hide stuff in their specially made vases, but how can they hide drugs in paintings? I mean, that was all Ortesky had bought wasn't it?"

"Customs papers."Jasper said, trying and failing to keep the smugness from his tone. Marcus was still being weirdly competitive with me and the SCI team, and had set his guys the task of trying to find out how Georgiou planned to ship drugs back in paintings.

"What?" Marcus snapped

"The painting is checked by customs and all the paperwork and stamps are given. Then the painting is 'accidently damaged', Georgiou placates the owners by insisting to pay for the picture to be restored. Whilst this is happening, they use the custom's stamped and checked crate to ship the drugs. Apparently there are special guild lines about transporting art, especially paintings. They don't have to be opened and checked so closely and really old paintings don't get checked at all. In Europe Volturi has many friends, and is a 'very respected buisnessman' so if he can't fly the shipment to exactly where he wants. He can have it driven most of the way without much trouble, he also has a fleet of private planes…" Jasper said.

"And you know this how?" Marcus demanded, his face set in a curious scowl.

"Because while you've been storming round town, like you're auditioning to be the bad guy in the next series of twenty four, I and my team, have been doing some real police work. It's boring and time consuming, but it gets results, as does actually talking and 'liasing' with your colleagues, rather than deliberately trying to piss them off… " Jasper snarled.

"Thank you Inspector." I said warningly.

A hundred different emotions seemed to flicker across Marcus' face as he took in Jasper's words.

"You're right Inspector…I have been a complete asshole, "

There was a collective sharp, surprised intake of breath from the people in the room including me.

Marcus surveyed the room, an amused smirk twitching his lips as he took in the confusion he had caused.

"How about I try and mend a few bridges…down the pub…" he said in a truly awful attempt at an English accent. Marcus and everyone in the damn room was now looking at me for guidance.

I still wanted, and had the feeling that I would end up calling him out over the shit storm he had created between Mae and I, but right at this moment, the team, his and mine needed to work together.

"You're paying…" I said in a tone that was an order rather than a question.

"Of course…" he said.

"Then mine's a double…" I said with a tight chuckle. I still had another three nights before Ortesky left London and Mae could come home.

"Uh, I'm afraid not pal." Marcus said stopping me before I followed the rest of the team out of the door.

You are a lot of things Marcus I thought, but my pal isn't one of them.

"You have a previous engagement…just because I'm a stupid fuck that has become a statistic and let the job fuck up his marriage…it doesn't give me the right, to try and drag you and Mae down with me…" Marcus said roughly.

No you didn't, but I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.

"I'm sorry…" I said genuinely.

"Thanks, but the person you really need to be saying sorry too…is waiting for you at home…

"You never did tell me why you were smiling?" Marcus said curiously, as we walked towards the lifts.

"No I didn't did I?" I smirked.

_My shower last night had been long and cold, but I had still been forced to take matters into my own hands to try and relieve the rather painful 'situation', Mae had caused. But Christ it was worth it. Especially when I had done as she had said and listened to the four of the song she had written for my wedding/birthday present;_

_**We're not gonna break**_

_**Cause we still believe,**_

_**We know what we've got**_

_**And we've got what we need, alright**_

_**We're doing something right**_

"_She's not me. She's not your Mae." Mae had said. And as much as I had lusted after the 'cheaper, sluttier' version of Mae as she had labled the version of herself that was guarding Ortesky. It was the comfort of 'my' Mae I had needed last night. And judging by her texts, she had needed the same from me. Our brief reconnection in the lift, had shattered the protective walls we had built_ _up to protect ourselves during our separation, leaving us both feeling vulnerable._

_After receiving a flurry of exhaustion induced, texts about what idiots the night team sent to relieve her were, I decided to try and give her one of the "actions" she had wanted me to demonstrate to show how sorry I was._

_I was slightly drunk after the whisky I had had on an empty stomach, to warm myself up after my shower, but something, the spooky psychic thing people joked about, the words of the song I had just listened to, told me that she wouldn't mind. So after making sure that she was alone and not working, I had called and before she had said a word began singing;_

_**Hello again, hello**_

_**Just called to say hello**_

_**I couldn't sleep at all tonight,**_

_**And I know it's late, but I couldn't wait…**_

_**Hello my friend…hello,**_

_**Just called to let you know…I think about you every night…**_

_**When I'm here alone…and you're there…**_

_**Hello…**_

_**Maybe it's been crazy,**_

_**And maybe I'm to blame**_

_**But, I put my heart above my head**_

_**We've been through it all…**_

_**But you love me…just the same…**_

_**And when you're not here…**_

_**I just need to hear…**_

"_Hello Carlisle…" Mae had chuckled softly. "You do realize you are…"_

" _A cheesy, corny, slightly drunk, possessive, stupid idiot…"_

"_Yep, but you are my cheesy, corny, slightly drunk, possessive stupid idiot…" she had said. And I had slept for the first time in days._

But I had a feeling I would be sleeping even better tonight.

"Mae?" I called as I almost stumbled through the front door to the apartment.

" _**I've heard people say that…too much of anything is not good for you baby…But I don't know about that, cause as many times as we've loved, shared love and made love…it doesn't seem to me. to be ever enough…it's just never enough…"**_

The deep rich tones of Barry White echoed round the apartment. I dropped my overcoat and quickly walked down the hall to the lounge, where I was met by a sight that literally took my breath away. Mae was sat on the sofa facing me, dressed in the underwear from the lift, but minus the wig and heavy make up, making her my breath takingly stunning golden haired naughty angel.

"Neil Diamond…and now Barry White…" she teased.

"It's a scientifically proven fact, that more women get pregnant listening to Barry White than any other music…" I replied unable to stop my eyes raking greedily, ravenously over her body. Standing up, she slinked towards me, her heels sounding noisily on the wooden floor. Reaching me, she let one hand ghost down my cheek and jaw, whilst the other moved across my chest and played with my tie.

"Is that so? Well in that case…Barry can stay…" she chuckled. "But…to be honest…tonight, the only voice I want to hear…singing…moaning in my ear, telling me how fucking hot I look in 'slutty Mae's' underwear, before…" Mae let her nose brush along my jaw and cheek, before her tounge found the sensitive shell of my ear, which her warm breath was already driving crazy. " screaming my name…is…you…" she breathed grabbing my tie more firmly and towing me slowly towards the bedroom. The room was dimly lit by the lamps, but I could still see her deliberately shake her backside in the underwear that barely covered her.

It was only when she had finished undressing me and was sat astride me, giving in to my pleas to keep the heels on, that Mae finally kissed me. She tasted so damn good, white wine, cigarette and just Mae. This time, she gave me the access to her mouth that my firm lips and insistant tounge was begging for, moaning wantonly as I roughly, stroked, licked and nipped her tounge and lips with my own. I was like a starving man as I let myself explore, reclaim and literally devour her mouth in kisses that became hot messy and wet. My hands didn't stop moving over the parts of her body I could reach, stroking, squeezing, teasing.

"Car…lisle…oh…yesss…" Mae moaned her head falling back in pleasure as my thumbs teased her already hard nipples through the lace of her bra. Sitting up slightly, I bent my knees behind her, before proceeding to lay more, hot messy open mouthed kisses, along her neck and over the swell of her breasts. She almost screamed and her hands began tugging almost painfully hard through my hair, as I took her still lace covered nipple in my mouth and grazed it with my teeth. Her panties were soaked with her arousal, which I could feel on my thigh as she ground against it.

"Carrrlisssle….oh…god…yes…I've missed you…feel…you feel…make me feel…so gooood…" she babbled as her frantic hands tore roughly down my back. Before one slipped down the small gap between us and took hold of my arousal, which was once again painfully hard and trapped between us…

"MAE! Oh Christ…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" I moaned as the crackles of pleasure that her soft but firm, hand sent flying round my body

Her eyes were hooded and hazy with lust, but she managed to focus on me for a moment and fix me with a hard look.

"NO! No words…not now…now is time for actions…words later…" she hissed biting my lower lip again, before allowing her teeth to graze the sensitive skin of my collar bones, she quickly followed up the rough with the smooth and soothed the irritated area with her tounge and mouth.

"Mae…I need you…pleaaase….please….I need to be inside you…" I almost begged as she allowed her lace covered breasts drag up my chest.

A twinkle came into her hooded dark eyes. Gripping my shoulders, Mae slowly stood up on the bed. How I did not come apart at the sight of her looming over me, high heeled feet either side of my chest, as she unsnapped the stockings from her suspender belt, I'll never know. But somehow, I managed to hold on until after, I had like a good gentleman helped her to roll down and remove her stockings and heels and she had almost slammed herself down onto me.

The noises we were making were almost animalistic, as we rode each other hard and fast towards the edge.

"Mae…Mae…my Mae…oh god…my Mae…love youuuu…I…" I babbled as I thrust up into her frantically, desperately gripping her hips

"Come with me…come…love you…so much….need…want…oh, ohhh…" Mae babbled back, but her babbling was soon drowned out by me roaring her name and her screaming mine, as under the control of her spasming body, Mae had arched backwards, gripping my thighs as ahe thrust against me. The change in angle, the depth, the added grip it had given her muscles, which were already clamping down on me, had caused me to see such was the intensity of my release.

Exhausted by our incredible sex session, and the fact that we had both hardly slept over the last few days, we fell asleep in each others arms. Our bodies so intimately entwined, that it was hard to tell or feel, where one began and the other stopped.

Mae was sat astride me again, a little while later, having informed me that I should make the most of 'slutty' Mae's lingerie, because it wouldn't be around for long. She was leaning forward on my chest and we were kissing lazily, I was still half asleep, our tounges fighting a playful duel for dominance, when Mae pulled away from me a little so she could look in my face. Her hair was ruffled and her lips swollen, but she had never looked more sexy, those were the things I needed to see on Mae to turn me on, not scraps of material.

"Do you trust me Carlisle?" she said

Here it was, the start of the talk.

"Yes…" I replied, my hands twisting in her hair.

"Do you trust the fact…" she paused and moved off me, moving to the side of the bed and bending over the edge, giving me a magnificent view of her bum. She righted herself a moment later holding a small silver object in the shape of a small cup and something in her closed fist.

"That I would never…NEVER…" she said climbing a little awkwardly back astride me holding the objects. My body was now wide awake, and tense with anticipation at what she was holding, but in a strangely excited way judging by the way my cock was twitching. She sat for a long moment, just observing me through eyes dancing with a million different emotions, including lust.

"Cause you anxiety…or pain…" she purred tipping a little of the contents of the silver cup onto my chest.

"What the…" I hissed as I felt the sharp sting of what must have been candle wax from one of the candles in the lounge.

"Without doing everything I could…as soon as I could, to take it away?" she demanded lowly, as she opened her hand a little and ran the ice cube she had been holding in it, over the sore spot. I groaned and closed my eyes at the sensation of hot and cold on my skin. When I opened them again, it was to see Mae looking at me, real fear that she had gone too far in her little 'lesson'.

" It seems that her underwear was not the only thing, that the other Mae let you bring home was it? It seems a little of her…hands on approach to dealing with people…her love of actions…rather than words…came too." I growled. She still looked nervous, so I tangled one hand in her hair and pulled her down for a brief, but passionate kiss. "And the answer to your question…isYessss…oh god yes…" I breathed round the side of our joined lips. I felt Mae's tense body begin to relax at my words, and she gave a small whimper as she rolled her hips over me. Whilst I had been shocked by Mae's actions, I knew that it wasn't really us, it was her way of trying to prove a point, in a way that was as overly dramatic as our stupid fight had been. But they do say variety is the key to a healthy sex life…try anything once.

"But they do say, that repetition…is the best way to learn a lesson…" I growled.

In between Mae's 'practical' demonstrations, which I and she became quite keen to experience, Mae and I did talk and clear the air. And whilst we may have let the sun set on what was our first official "married" argument. By the time the sun rose, we were as Emmett insisted on singing as we entered the lab later the following day;

"Reunited…and it feels…so…good…"

**AN; The song Mae wrote for Carlisle is called "Us against the World" and is by an Irish band called Westlife. "Hello Again" is by Neil Diamond and the other song, as Mae said is by Barry White. And there really was a study done that showed that women who listened to Barry White whilst trying to conceive had a higher success rate!lmao. It has something to do with the deepness and tone of his voice apparently.**

**For those who are too young, or don't know. The Bee Gee's were a 70's band that were famed for singing in very high voices.**

**I know some of you will be disappointed with this chap. Either not lemony enough, or too much, especially Mae going a little kinky. That won't happen again, it was just an idea. I just thought it might fit with their passionate natures. Hope you can find something to like.**


	25. Chapter 25

**SM OWNS ALL TWILIGHT**

**AN: Thankyou all for brilliant, thoughtful and incredibly kind reviews. I'm so happy that I am still able to keep you interested and entertained. I really hope you will stick around. I really couldn't, wouldn't want to do it without you all. It did make me giggle, how nearly all of you, admitted your fav part of last chap was Mae teasing Carlisle in the lift. Lol This chap is a bit of fluff, before the heavy part of plot kicks off. Hope you enjoyx**

"Maaaaeee…" Alice wheedled, hopping up on the kitchen counter next to where I was in the process of trying to make lunch for Rose, her and myself. It was Saturday morning, and Carlisle and Jasper had gone to "offer technical advice" as Emmett shopped for a new car. Carlisle insisted that their way of shopping, was in no way similar to the way we girls shopped, just before enthusiastically and excitedly agreeing to Jasper's suggestion to just 'having a quick look on the way back,' in some new gadget store that had opened in London. And maybe "if there was time", HMV as they all needed some new DVD's for their collection and "there was a sale" on, as Emmett had remarked matter of factly. The girls and I had closed the door on them arguing adorably about where to stop for lunch.

"Allllicce." I replied turning my head and smiling at her. Breast feeding, exercise and just the generally 'being a mum,' meant that she had lost almost all, of the little weight she had gained whilst pregnant with Danielle. She still had a few pounds that she was desperate to loose, but I thought as did Carlisle when I teasingly pressed him on it, that the added roundness to her figure and her slightly fuller face really suited her. Or maybe it was just the happiness and contentment we had been dazzled by? I thought fondly.

"Can you and Carlisle please…babysit?" she said stealing a piece of cucumber I was cutting up for the salad we were having, to accompany our lasagna and starting to nibble on it daintily.

"When?" I asked cautiously.

I was desperate to spend more time with the beautiful little girl, who was currently dozing happily in her Auntie Rose's arms, but Carlisle I and the team were working flat out on the Volturi, Georgiou case, that we knew could explode at any minute.

"Tonight." She said quickly biting down on her lower lip nervously, in a totally un Alice like gesture. The real Alice quickly returned however.

"Jasper and I reaaallly, really need some proper alone time…quickies in between feeds, washing and everything else we have to do are fine…but I really want to make the most of these bad girls, whilst I still have them…" she said cupping the larger than usual breasts she had developed in pregnancy and maintained during breast feeding. "I'm hoping that if I get him drunk enough and flaunt the girls in the new lingerie I have bought, he won't notice what a whale I've become." She sighed.

"If you carrying what?...five extra pounds at most makes you a whale, what damn hope is there for the rest of us who are carrying a…little bit more?" Rose growled as she walked over and joined us, carrying a peaceful Danielle in her portable car seat.

"But it's alright for you two…you're built like some damn amazon…" Alice pouted looking at Rose. "And you, what with all the ass kicking you do chasing bad guys, and the wild, kinky sex you and Carlisle have in every spare moment, you don't have time to eat enough to gain weight…" she said scowling at me.

"We are not kinky! It was just the once! To prove a point…it's not like I really hurt him…my hand slipped when he grabbed my…" I babbled, the words escaping me before I had chance to stop them.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Alice trilled rubbing her hands together, and kicking her legs like a small child.

"Okay, can someone please fill me in? Rose scowled.

"Just how badly do you need to get laid? I asked Alice innocently causing her smile to fade into a scowl.

"Aww come on…" Rose pleaded.

"Let's just say, Mae got a little creative during her and Carlisle's make up session the other day. And she left him with a little reminder…" Alice said.

"It will heal. Christ…how did you even notice it?" I said.

Carlisle had a small little burn on his collar bone where I had accidently spilt more of the candle wax than I intended. He had shocked and totally distracted me.

"Jazzy has a similar scar, but somewhere a little more…intimate…" she giggled. "Ahh, happy days…" she then sighed wistfully.

"Um, here's a phrase you two might want to remember…not infront of the child…" Rose hissed, nodding her head towards Danielle.

Alice snorted noisily with laughter.

"Thankyou Snow White…" she said sarcastically scowling at Rose. "Do I need to bring up my Egyptian Cotton sheets, the ones you ruined when you and Em got your own freak on with…honey?" she drawled evily.

"I replaced those." Rose insisted.

"Okay, okay…yes Alice, Carlisle and I would love to babysit…" I said Rose's words had made me feel weirdly guilty about talking about our sex lives in front of Danielle. Who strangely seemed to be laughing along with us

"Um, okay…we're only babysitting for one night right?" I said a bit later when Alice came stumbling back through the door, with the extra clothes, nappies and toys she had bought with her "just incase" I said yes.

"Um, well… I was hoping maybe till lunch time…" she said looking nervous once more. " I've expressed enough milk…and I really would love to have a drink or two…and a proper breakfast with Jazz. He hasn't read me the funny papers in ages…" she sighed. "No, maybe you're right…maybe it's too soon." She said, her face and voice suddenly filled with the guilt of a new mother leaving her baby overnight for the first time.

" No, no Alice…it's fine, truly…it's just we have two house viewings in the morning." I said quickly.

"Really? Oh that's great…and Danni can be my eyes and ears can't you angel? She already has fabulous taste…don't you baby?…yes…you do. You were such a good girl, projectile vomiting all over that truly vile frilly, lacy thing that Jasper's mother bought for her…" Alice said a smile on her face, but a sadly bitter tone in her voice as she leant forward to nuzzle Danielle who I was now holding. Danielle grabbed at her mother's face attempting to suck on her nose.

Jasper's parents, had deigned to spare an afternoon during their recent trip to London to meet their granddaughter. It had been a strained and awkward meeting, for all and one that would not likely to be repeated in a hurry. Not when Danielle had two adopted 'grandfather's' who adored and fought over her in Danny and Embry, grandmothers in Sue and Bridie, adoring uncles in Emmett, Edward and Carlisle and aunties in Me, Rose, Charlotte and even Bella Swan.

"Will they be at the Christening?" I asked gently.

" They said they'd try, but Hank has a very busy schedule…" Alice said as she gently prized Danielle's eager, grasping hands off of her earring. Danielle was nearly four months now, and interested in every sight and sound around her. She was also starting to smile for real, and the boys were forever trying to be the first to make her smile. It was a comical sight to see, especially when she seemed to look at them in a way that seemed like she was humouring and pitying them.

"He'll never admit it, but I know Jasper would like them there…show them, make them proud…"

"Have you done the invitations yet?"

"No, St Thomas' is booked up for the next three months. I know it's crazy, but it's her first special day and I really want to make it nice for her. I want the big, pretty church, so everyone who loves her can come and see my…pretty, pretty baby girl on her special day." Alice cooed. Danielle now had her head resting on my shoulder and Alice was sitting with her head pressed back against the sofa cushion at an angle pulling faces at her. As much as I hated interrupting the beautiful sound of Danielle babbling away in my ear, and actually laughing at Alice

"Rose, pass me the phone…" I said suddenly.

"Hello Frank? How are you? Oh good…I'm so pleased she liked the flowers…don't be silly, it was no bother. Yes Frank I'll tell him…Frank, The Lord's Chapel, Carlisle and I are intitled to use it aren't we?"

"Mae noo, you can't…" Alice hissed.

"Yes Mae, you can…" Rose grinned in delight.

"That's what I thought, how many does it hold?...seventy five? Really…could you check when it's next available…a christening…six weeks…"

Alice was now nodding in disbelief, in answer to my unasked question as to whether that was okay.

"We'll take it. It's for the christening of our goddaughter…Miss Danielle Mae Whitlock…thankyou Frank…oh yes…the official embossed invitations would be fine."

"Oh my god…my daughter is being christened in the House of Lords private Chapel…You do realize Royalty have been baptized in that font?" Alice said slowly when I put the phone down.

Whilst Rose and Alice and Danielle, who Alice was now hoisting in the air, chatted excitedly, I took a moment to take in the fact that I had just used my title. I had sworn never to use it for unimportant things and personal gain, but I hadn't been able to help myself, especially when I saw just how much happiness it bought to the people that meant so much to me.

"Okay, so she can be a little cranky with her 9o'clock feed. You just have to give her a little more time…and I did show you how the travel cot goes up right, and how to attach the padded bumper. She's a wriggler…You have my cell number. Maybe I should take her home and then bring her back later before we leave…" Alice babbled.

"Alice…honey, we'll be fine…yes I'll call you if we need you…Carlisle will be home any minute, so I don't think there will really be time for me to do her any real harm…"

"Noo, I didn't mean it like that. Jesus, there is no one else Jasper and I would trust her with. It's just…it's the first time I've been away from her since she was born…and I feel bad…I mean effectively kicking the poor kid out so Jazz and I can…I mean, that's not all we'll be doing…we'll be talking too…God I miss talking to him, listening to him talk. That accent…gets me every damn time." she stammered looking between the door and Danielle who was now sleeping in her bouncy chair.

" Alice I know…" I said placing my hands on her shoulders. " You and Jazz need some proper time, and it's only one night… And yes, you have my permission to remind me of this moment, the first time Carlisle and I leave our first with you and Jazz for the night and I start panicking." I said with a small huff of laughter.

"I can't wait…" Alice said her smile wide, and her eyes soft with emotion as she squeezed my arm.

"Neither can I…" I said softly. "Now go…go show Jazz just what he's been missing…just remember we do need him back at work on Monday in one piece…" I laughed.

"I make no promises…" Alice growled casting one last glance back at Danielle over her shoulder before hurrying out the door.

For all my confident words to Alice, I was actually a little nervous about being alone with Danielle. Carlisle and I had babysat for her before, but that had only been for two hours and we had been together.

Damn it Mae! Get a grip. You'll have your own baby soon enough and Carlisle won't be around all day then either. You can do this. I moved quietly round the kitchen tidying up after our lunch, all the while keeping an eye on and chatting to Danielle, who was concentrating on trying to get her foot in her mouth. It was odd, but I felt a strange sense of contentment settle over me. I really couldn't wait for this to be my life.

Just over an hour and two phone calls from Alice later, I was changing a now wide awake Danielle's nappy in our bedroom, when I heard Carlisle's key in the lock. It seemed Danielle heard as well, as Danielle turned her head towards the sound and started to babble.

"Who's that? What can you hear clever girl?" I said my eyes wide and voice high as I gently pulled her into a sitting position.

"Is that uncle Carlisle? Is it? Shall we go see…yes…shall we…?" I crooned scooping her up off the changing met on the bed and walking out into the lounge.

"Hi sweetheart, sorry I'm…" Carlisle began but stopped when he saw me standing in the doorway with Danielle. The look in his eyes went from surprise, to a look of such deep love, happiness and longing that it took my breath away.

Danielle truly was the perfect mix of her parents, as with perfect timing and dramatic but adorable enthusiasm, she began wriggling in my arms and reaching for Carlisle, easing the intense emotions of moments before.

"I said we'd babysit…till tomorrow lunchtime…do you mind?" I said quickly. The brief but incredibly tender kiss Carlisle gave me as he came to take Danielle from me, gave me my answer.

"Car…li…sle…" Carlisle crooned at Danielle

Danielle babbled a sound that sounded like Car in response, causing Carlisle to beam in triumph.

"Did you hear that? She said my name…you said Carlisle didn't you…clever girl…" Carlisle announced in delight.

"Yes Carlisle I heard." I said soothingly.

"She did…" he pouted as he looked across the jungle gym Danielle was lying beneath on the floor. We were sat either side of her totally entranced by her.

"Who are you calling?" I asked as I saw him pull out his cell.

"Emmett. He's been crowing for ages that he's the one that got her to laugh first…"

"Carlisle…shut the phone." I said a little sharply. "Emmett is wrong. The first person that Dani laughed for was Jasper. He has timed and dated film on his phone to prove it." I chuckled softly.

"Yes Jasper, she's fine…she's giving Carlisle a bath now." I chuckled a little while later, when I left the bathroom to answer the sixth call of the night, which had this time come from Jasper. I was telling the truth. It appeared that Danielle was very much a water baby, who began almost chuckling with delight as her strong and very long legs, began thrashing the water. It was becoming clearer that she was going to have Alice's dark hair, large expressive eyes and almost doll like face, but Jasper's height and lean build. She was going to be a real heart breaker.

"Okay do you think it's too early to put her down for the 2026 Olympic swim team?" Carlisle joked as I re entered the room.

"No…yes…what?" I stammered. My attention had been caught by the sight of Carlisle's soaked grey T-shirt which was clinging to the broad, well defined planes of his chest like a sinful second skin.

I told Carlisle to get her out of her little bath, which we had fitted in ours, whilst I laid out her adorable little sleep suit in the bedroom. I heard her whimper in protest as Carlisle lifted her out. There was a pause, before I heard Carlisle say quietly that "five more minutes couldn't hurt."

"Carlisle!" I called sharply. "You are not going to become one of those fathers." I said.

"What type of fathers?" he asked confused, stepping back into the bedroom carrying Danielle. It was my turn now to be rendered speechless at the sight of him holding the baby. He had stripped off his wet T-shirt and was holding Danielle, who looked adorable in her monogrammed towel with hood, tightly against his bare chest.

One that photographers spent hours in studios trying to create. But which, I, my…our children were going to be lucky enough to have for real. I thought to myself, before shaking my head to try and clear it.

"Um…the ones who's kid comes up and says "Daddy I wanna pony" I said in my best spoilt child voice. "Only for him to say okay sweetie, what colour?" I replied.

He smirked slightly

"Have no fear my love. As beautiful, cute, loving and able as I'm sure Harper will be, of twisting me round her little finger, I have no intention of our daughter growing up to be an air headed socialite that is neither use nor ornament." He said seriously.

"Harper?" I whispered.

Carlisle looked shocked for a minute, then annoyed.

"It's a name I like…at the moment…and you did say, naming our daughter was down to me…" he said quickly his face full of concern that I was about to change my mind.

"I did." I said softly. Harper Cullen. World, I would like you to meet my daughter…Harper Cullen…

Danielle chose that moment to remind us that whilst Harper was still a beautiful dream, she was very much a reality.

"She has Alice's eyes…"

"But Jasper's nose…"

"Really? Do you think?" I said looking a little closer at the baby now fast asleep on our bed. Alice had told us, that the easiest way to get her to sleep was to lay her on our bed and just talk to her. Carlisle and I were laying either side of her on our sides, just looking at her.

"I hope Harper has your eyes…" I said suddenly.

Carlisle growled lowly in his throat. "As I said, that name is likely to change…and I'd like her to have your eyes…and curls…" he said softly.

"Oh noo, my hair was a nightmare when I was little. My mom had to chase me round the house to try and comb it through." I chuckled softly.

"Sue had to chase me round, to get me into a bath when I was little…"Carlisle chuckled.

"So you were a real little boy then." I said. Images of a blonde blue eyed little boy, our son…Alexander Jonathan Cullen, covered in mud and looking up at me giving me the lopsided Cullen grin flooded my mind.

"I had my moments…I loved to read and stuff, but I really loved to be outside when I had the chance. I liked to climb trees, get dirty…be a normal boy…when I got the chance" he said softly.

"Well I'm sure AJ won't mind you tagging along and reliving a little of your child hood…" I said.

"AJ? Aww come on…intitials…I gave you a name…" he pouted.

"That could change…" I reminded him.

"So could this one…" he argued.

I shook my head. "No, our son will remain "a defender/protector of the people" who will be a truly loved, adored and cherished "gift from God" I said trying to emphasize the meanings of the two names I had chosen.

Danielle was a little cranky during the night, but we managed to soothe her, with the aide of the chilled teething ring Alice had left. We were both relieved when she settled. It tore at both of us, to hear her so distressed.

I panicked slightly when I woke a little later to find both Carlisle's side of the bed and Danielle's travel cot empty. Had she been crying? Had I not heard her? Oh my god, what if I didn't hear AJ or Harper? What I Carlisle was having to work?

"Carlisle…" I called almost falling out of bed and stumbling into the lounge.

Carlisle was sitting at the dining table with Danielle on his lap as he looked at his lap top, which was on the table infront of them.

"Heh, sorry did we wake you? She was awake, so I thought Detective Constable Whitlock could help me with my enquiries, into the name of my future son."

"Should I be jealous of this new crime fighting team?" I teased as I walked over and slipped my arm round Carlisle's shoulder. Danielle tipped her head back to look at me. I gave her a big smile and stroked her soft cheek with my free hand.

Carlisle chuckled softly.

"Weell, what she lacks in stature and patience…" he teased indicating how she was striking out at the lapW tops buttons, "she makes up for in enthusiasm" he said kissing the top of her head.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" I asked.

Carlisle turned and looked up at me, even in the dim grey early morning light, I could see the softness and emotion in his eyes.

"Alexander Jonathan Cullen…" he said softly, seeming to caress each name with love as he said them. "He sounds like he's going to be quite a man…"

"Well, he has one hell of a father for a role model…" I said softly as I leant down and kissed Carlisle.

"Okay, are you sure that clock is right? It can't be only 11.30…I…we've been up for…since…"

"About five, although I don't think either of us really went back to sleep after her three o'clock feed…" Carlisle said wearily.

Casting a glance in the mirror, I saw Danielle wide awake and happily playing in her car seat. All memory of the full blown screaming fit she had thrown in the first house we had gone to see, totally forgotten. It had been a nice enough house in a small village outside London, but it's proximity to the River Thames meant that it was prone to flooding and had a nasty smell of damp. Danielle had started grizzling as we walked up the path, but had gone nuclear the minute we stepped into the slightly cramped dark kitchen. Nothing Carlisle or I could do would calm her, so we had made our apologies and left, only for her to calm, smile sweetly and attempt to suck my nose as I placed her back in her car seat.

"Alice has programmed her…there's a hidden camera somewhere…check her teddy bear…no…it has to be in her clothes somewhere…" Carlisle growled as he watched us from the drivers seat. And as if she had actually understood what he was saying, Danielle began to laugh.

The second house was number eighty four Cherry Tree Avenue. It was half an hour from the station, but it's location in a quiet mews of houses that was only ten minutes away from the high street, made it seem miles from anywhere. I could see that Carlisle was feeling what I was, that we could really relax and leave work behind us here. Concentrate on just being Carlisle and Mae, couple and parents.

The house was large, spacious, but had such a warmth and heart to it, especially in the kitchen diner. It was a large space,made to feel larger by the wooden floors and décor, but it felt strangely intimate and cosy. I could clearly see AJ, Harper and Danielle thundering into the kitchen from the garden, through the large French doors.

"Mae?" Carlisle said softly pulling me out of my reverie.

"I can see us, feel us living here Carlisle…" I replied roughly.

"You're sure…" he said

"Aren't you?" I loved this house, but if Carlisle didn't.

"I'm happy where ever you…and the children are love…"

I rolled my eyes. "Carlisle I'm being serious…" I said. We were standing in the kitchen, Danielle's car seat on the worktop. Carlisle wrapped his arms round my waist and pulled me against him. I rested my hands on his chest.

"So am I. Okay, seriously…I love it…this is a house for a family…our family, there is space for us to grow, but there is real heart…warmth…" he said his eyes dancing with genuine happiness and emotion.

"We've found it…Carlisle" I whispered unable to stop the tears that had been pricking my eyes from falling. "…there's nothing here, nothing hanging over us…just space and time for us to make our own memories…our…home…our families home…" my last words had barely left my lips, before Carlisle crashed his own lips against mine, taking my breath away with a kiss full of excitement, hope and most of all love.

"I hate to interrupt…" I thought I heard the estate agent mumble somewhere behind us, but I wasn't sure as Danielle was chuckling and squealing with delight.


	26. Chapter 26

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; I am sorry for the delay, but RL and a few inspiration problems have been hitting me quite hard. Thankyou all so much for sticking with me. I know this is short for me, but I hope it's okay. **

**I just want to say a huge thanks to the girls that make this possible, by pre reading and suffering my writers block with me; Eternally Cullen, Fallanydeeper, Louise Heyden and Brandee H. But, if anyone is to thank for this chapter, and me postponing my retirement from writing for another week, lol. (Although the charming, flaming PM's I received the other day urged me strongly to consider it) is Veggie Vampire 90. The girl has patience of a saint, so please go show her some love, by going to read her fabulous AH, Carlisle and Esme fic Patched UP. Oh and I'm afraid, I've never been good at taking hints, so I am going to keep writing for as long as you want me and this Carlisle and Esme. I just hope you can bear with me, as I try and deal with a crappy RL week and my plot **

**CARLISLE POV**

"Did you know? Did you know Georgia was in danger? Did you know that MY FOURTEEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS AT RISK FROM THESE CRAZY BASTARDS?" Peter had screamed in my face, his face which moments ago had been ashen, was now puce with anger, fear and pain. I had seen Peter enter the SCI office, through the window of my office and had risen from behind my desk to go and meet him. He hadn't seen me straight away, as Jake and Tweed had stepped in his path and asked him what he wanted. But when I had told them that it was okay, Peter had lunged at me, fisting the front of my shirt and propelling me backwards from the door. My lower back still throbbed from where it had hit the edge of my desk.

Jake and Tweed had had Peter restrained in seconds, giving me a minute to try and process what the hell, he was talking about. But before I could, Marcus had strode into the room. And the cold grip of unease that had gripped me, became a full blown gut wrenching fear.

"_**They say they won't hurt me…all they want…is for you…I mean…"**_ A clearly, terrified Georgia had stammered. Her heartbreakingly young face, was pale and blotchy from crying as she looked into the camera that was focused upon her, and squinted at what must have been, cue cards being held just out of shot.

"She can't see without her glasses…she's very near sighted…" Peter had groaned. His anger had now given way once more to shock and disbelief. I had hustled Marcus and the team, into the large briefing room when he had said he had something to show me. As I had watched the video and one of my closest friends, enduring what must be the one of the worst agonies a parent could face, especially a parent who already tortured himself about his lack of participation in her life, I was determined that I would be showing Marcus a close up view of my fist.

I had sympathy for his marital problems and the stresses he was under, but I still couldn't forgive or forget, the petty malicious way he had tried to become Mae and I. The hypocritical bastard had lectured and tormented me about professionalism, but his inability to share information and quest for glory as a way to try and validate his life choices, had placed Georgia in danger and Peter in agony.

I knew that Peter's ex wife had married a leading American pharmaceutical expert, but what I didn't know, and what Marcus could of easily told me, allowing me to try and protect the innocents like Georgia, was that he was the expert the CIA were using to manufacture the new drug they hoped to restart Batari's economy with.

"_**If you hand over the shipment of the drugs…to them…and only them…"**_ Georgia had finally continued, her small voice trembling as she tried to do as she was being bidden.

"Can we be certain that this is down to Voltura?" Jake had queried.

"We'll never be able to link it to him directly. But it's him, he wants those drugs…new intelligence has found that he needs the income…" Marcus had said.

"Remind me to lend you my dictionary, so you look up the definition of the words 'share', 'professionalism' and 'courtesy'" I had hissed.

"Manners never where my strong point…" he had replied out of the corner of his mouth.

"I'd be more than happy to teach you a few…"

"Can't wait." Marcus had said, his eyes dancing with the light of malice and challenge. "He's gone into partnership with an as yet unknown Russian. They want to take over the running of the Tritsky Gas Pipe Line."

"That's one of the biggest in Europe, and it's being extended…my cousin is an engineer out there…" Jake had said in explanation, as the eyes of the room focused on him after his outburst.

"Well, the other gas line he's involved with is not performing as well, seems like its source may be drying up. He's struggling to try and find his share of the stake. He wants control of Vitamin K's distribution."

Marcus had apparently named the new drug as well.

"He's panicked, about the control going to the phony competing syndicate we set up. As last nights events proved."

Marcus' phony syndicate had been fronted by a major drug dealer, who had had his life sentence for smuggling converted into community service. Only his freedom, had been short lived. He and his three minders, three more CIA operatives, had been blown up in a car bomb outside a night club in Paris last night. Jasper and Mae had headed over there to oversee, and hush up the investigation.

_**I am being treated really well. I have my own room, a TV…**_

"Jesus no…" Jasper had groaned as he and Mae had walked into the briefing room at the moment. Jasper had looked between Georgia's face on the large screen and Peter slumped in his seat, then at me, a look of "please fucking tell me this isn't happening" on his face. All I could do was nod helplessly.

"Peter, what happened?" Mae had asked gently, sinking into the seat beside Peter. Charlotte was in Washington appearing before a senate committee, pitching for more money for their work into curing asthma. Georgia had last been seventy two hours ago at an open day at her boarding school. Because of Georgia's delicate health, she suffered quite badly from asthma, the police had begun looking immediately, thus alerting Marcus' team who were watching their pet pharmacist. Lydia's frantic call, being quickly followed by a visit from Marcus, had sent a terrified and confused Peter to me.

"Do we believe her? About how she's being treated?"

Harris had shrunk back into the corner beneath the hostile, furious eyes that had turned on him. We then had to spend the next ten minutes trying to reassure Peter, who had become frantic once more.

"Where is she Carlisle? Where have they taken my little girl?" he had asked in desperation. The customary Amber Alert for a missing child in America had gone out, and Marcus had had his American team knocking down doors and trawling possible locations. Timing was everything in cases like this, and we all knew it. The tape had arrived at the American Office six hours ago.

Voltura really was desperate, if he thought frightening the chemist by snatching his child would get him what he wanted. And that was what terrified not only me, but Mae and the rest of the team. Desperate men were unpredictable and dangerous, and we had all seen examples of just how dangerous Stefano Voltura could be.

" I think she's in Voltera." Mae had said quietly, stunning the room into silence.

She and Jasper had then proceeded to explain, that during their investigation into the car bomb in Paris, the CCTV outside the night club had shown a car loitering in the area. When a man had been seen getting out of the car, stealing it, driving it away, only to return it an hour later, she and Jasper had examined the footage in fine detail. It seemed that there had been two men, and a young blonde girl in the car.

Jasper had left the room at that point, to send the pictures to Emmett, to see if his cutting edge and high tech equipment could make the images any clearer. This had left Mae to explain, that they had managed to track the car the thief had been dropped off in, to a port, where it had boarded a boat to Voltera.

"So what do we do now?" Peter had demanded.

"We wait, we can't risk blowing the entire operation on a hunch." Marcus had begun, but had been stopped by Peter springing from his seat with a snarl of rage and launching himself at him. I just managed to move in time, coming between Peter and Marcus. Marcus may have been flying a desk for the last few years, had gained a little weight, but he was still able to cause Peter real physical harm. No matter what else old coppers and spies may do, the cases they may forget, through choice or otherwise, the one thing that would never leave us, no matter how much we may want it to, was our desire to hurt, to kill. Our dormant inner paranoid tendancies, and heightened awareness, making us forever watchful and fearful of attack.

"FUCK YOUR OPERATION! WHAT ABOUT MY DAUGHTER?" Peter demanded. "SHE IS NOT PART OF YOUR FUCKED UP, PARANOID, SPOOKY WORLD! SHE IS…she's just a little girl…my little girl…" he sobbed, his fury giving way to grief. He had then raced from the room, making it to the bathroom just in time to bring up the little that was in his stomach.

I had a horrible feeling, that no matter how this turned out, the friendship between Peter and I would be changed forever. I had persuaded him to call Embry for some support. Listening to the phone call Peter made in my office, sobbing like a child and begging his father for help, had torn my fucking heart out. I had been forced to leave the room.

"I am going for a smoke…" I had announced in a tone that dared anyone to argue with me.

"I think you might find the roof a little crowded." Jasper had remarked as he passed me, on his way to be with Peter. "Mae has asked Marcus, to join her for a little chat…"he had said, trying desperately to hide the smile twitching his lips.

"Well, what's mine is hers…" I had remarked lightly, but had hurried to the roof, only to be met by Mae coming through the door. She looked tired, sad and furious, her hazel eyes were glinting dangerously. She looked stunning.

"Don't waste too much time on him baby, Peter needs you, then I need you home…" she had said kissing me briefly as she passed me.

"So I've had one Cullen try and teach me the theory, behind team work and manners, is it time for the other Cullen to try and teach me the practical?" Marcus had sneered as I approached him.

"It is, but don't worry, it will be a very quick lesson…" I had said, struggling for a moment to focus, as the thrill of hearing Mae being referred to as Mae Cullen, even by Marcus, had thrilled through me. But his arrogant sneer and the memory of what had happened the last time we were on this roof had flooded my mind.

I hit him with the Venomiser.

"MAE!" I called as I staggered through the front door. I had sat and drank with Peter as we waited for Embry to arrive from Ireland. It had taken nearly an hour, but Marcus had finally regained his senses enough to order a private jet to collect Embry. Two hours later, after giving Embry a full briefing of what intelligence we had, I was finally home.

"MAE!" I had called again as I came into the bedroom. My overcoat was on the floor somewhere in the lounge, my shoes on opposite sides of the room.

"I'm here honey…" she replied coming out of the bathroom where she had obviously been attempting, to blow dry her freshly washed hair. She was wearing just her bathrobe.

"I…I don't know if I can do this anymore…" I stammered helplessly. My fatigue and the booze, giving volume to that little voice inside me. My job could be hellish enough when it was strangers, innocent strangers who I always did everything I could for, but when it was this close to home. When I was fighting not only, against the villains, but also the petty beaurocrisy and bullshit Marcus and his kind brought to the table.

Mae didn't say anything, she simply stepped forward and began to slowly undress me. And I let her, obeying her commands to step and move like a child.

"I…" I began weakly, but she simply placed her fingers over my lips. Her eyes were full of understanding and love. Shrugging off her robe, revealing her glorious naked body, she took my hand and guided me the few steps to the bed.

" Sleep Carlisle…just rest my love…" she said softly as a few minutes later, she wrapped her arms tightly around me, and let me drift into oblivion with the sound of her heart, over which my head was laying, singing in my ear, and her hands running through my hair.

"Us…us against the world…" I mumbled sleepily.

"Always. Always and forever…" I heard her say fiercely, before I felt her lips brush across the top of my head. I then let sleep claim me, safe in the knowledge, that as hard as things may become over the next few days, I wasn't alone. Would never be alone.

**ESME POV**

"Car…lis…le…" I sighed.

"Uh huh?" he murmured lazily, barely lifting his mouth and dangerous tounge from the bare skin of my stomach.

"Ohhh…" I groaned, unable to stop my body arching of its own accord, as he dipped his tounge into my navel, whilst trailing one hand along the delicate skin of my side, and along my breast. There was something I needed to tell him, something important, but I was damned if I could think what it was.

It took the irritating sound of my warbling cell phone, knocking against the glass of water I had on my night stand, to remind me what it was that had forced me to form a coherent sentence, disrupting Carlisle's unexpected but tantalizing, worshipful assault on my body.

"Cell phones…oh Christ, yessss…" I hissed as his mouth found my hardened peak. My mind was distracted again for a second, by the long low growl he let out as I tugged on his hair and grazed his shoulder with my teeth in response. "Our…cell phones…they are booooth ringing…" I moaned, my leg wrapping around his hip and attempting to draw him, his arousal, which was pressing firmly against my thigh, closer to my aching wet core. Which was still pulsing in response to the orgasm his dangerous mouth, had bought me too minutes before.

"So they are…" he growled against my skin.

"Answer it…we should…answer it…"

"I'm not stopping you…" he chuckled against my pulse point. "All you have to…do…oh god…is to take…your hand off…my arse…"

"Why? Why would I dooo that?" I whimpered confused, as Carlisle began to tease me by dragging his arousal along my slick folds, coating himself with my juices. "I…I neeeed…" I moaned, my body almost arching off of the bed as I tried to draw Carlisle's body, him, inside me.

"To answer the phone…" Carlisle smirked. He was teasing me by holding himself away from where my now desperate body needed him. I growled, pulling his hair a little harder than I meant to. He let loose a growl in response as his head fell back a little, and I bit down on his collar bone, whilst kneading the cheek of his ass. He was able to reciprocate as he had one armed wrapped around my back, and was supporting me in our strange erotic dance. I hissed at the intense feel of our chests crushed together.

" They've stopped…" I moaned into his mouth as he crashed his lips to mine. He tasted of me, but I didn't care and whimpered, as I slipped my arms around his neck and let him lie me back against the mattress. Our tounges dueled for a long moment.

"Could…could have been…important…Carlisssllle…"

Carlisle was already positioned between my legs, but when he allowed his full weight to rest upon me for a moment, removing the small amount of space between us, I cried out. I was on fire and needed him desperately.

"No love, thissss, touching you, tasting you, being inside you…that…that is the only thing…important to me…at this moment…" Carlisle said as he peppered my face with kisses. His eyes were hooded and almost black with need, but I could see such a deep love there.

There was a strange, slightly desperate edge to his voice, but I could barely breath let alone focus on it.

"CARLISLE!" I screamed as he shifted to kneel between my legs, and lifted them high up his body. The angle meant that he was deep inside me, hitting my sweetest spot over and over as he thrust torturously slowly into me.

"Oh Mae…ungh…christ…you feel so good…sooo wet, sooo tight…"

"You…only you…can make meee…ungh…ahhh…" I moaned. My slick walls were beginning to spasm around his hard length, but the sight of him, head thrown back in pleasure as he thrust into me, his deep rich voice thick with lust, as he told me how good I made him feel, was speeding me towards the edge just as fast as the feel of him filling me so deeply. I was writhing helplessly beneath him, my hands fisting the sheets and my head thrashing on the pillow.

"I…I love you Maee…" Carlisle moaned.

My eyes snapped open. Even through my lust haze I could hear that, slightly desperate edge caused by his anxiety over what the next few days held for us.

"Carlisle…kiss me…" I sighed, drawing strength from somewhere to raise my arms, that were heavy as my body gave itself over to the intense, all consuming pleasure that was crackling through me and threatening to take my breath.

"Maeee, so hot…soo tight…" Carlisle moaned as he tipped forward, deepening the angle for both of us even further.

"I…love…you…sooo…much…always…" I breathed round the edge of our kiss, slipping my arms beneath his and locking my legs around his waist, holding him as tightly to me as I could.

"Forever…" he breathed into my neck.

"Yessss…Always and Forever baby…oh God, yess…" I moaned as he begun to thrust into me once more.

"More…please…I need more…" I hissed clamping my muscles down hard around him for a moment, holding him inside me. The long, deep moan he let out, sent another rush of moisture to my core.

His thrusts became deep and fast. The only sounds in the room were our pants, moans and incoherent babbles of love and desire for each other, as we both hurtled with almost frightening speed and intensity towards the edge. My entire body was on fire, and felt like it was coming apart as the feel of Carlisle above me, around me, inside me.

"Carlisle…" I whimpered.

"Don't let me…go Mae…please…" he panted, his own voice a little scared. "Christ…sooo deep…I…"

" I've got you babe…CARLISLE!" I screamed as my muscles clamped down around him, and began spasming , feeling like they were never going to stop.

Carlisle's long deep roar, was a little frightening as he finally let go spilling into me . I could see from the corner of my eye, his arms, which he had planted either side of my head, shaking with the continued effort of supporting him. His breathing was coming in rasping pants like my own, as he rolled off to the side and collapsed back onto the mattress.

We didn't speak for a long moment, both trying to regain our breathing, but Carlisle grabbed my hand in his and crushed it to his chest.

"I…I think we just made a baby…" I whispered finally. Carlisle turned his head on the pillow to look at me. His eyes were still hooded, from lust and also a little exhaustion, but the love that shone from them was so intense and tender, I could feel tears pooling in the corners of my eyes.

"I know" he replied softly, raising my hand to his lips and placing the sweetest of kisses to my knuckles.

I don't know what the hell made me say it. It was possible I had stopped the contraceptive injection six weeks before. The doctor's had sworn that in ninety nine point nine cases, it took three months or more, for enough of it to leave the system to enable someone to get pregnant. But I had been nearly ten days late getting my last jab. I had already had a bleed to show that I had started ovulating again. But all the practicalities aside, I felt… what we had just done, it was different…it had felt different for both of us in so many ways.

Carlisle pulled me tightly against his side, giving a soft moan as I buried my head in his neck.

"That was…it felt…I…it's never been like that…so intense, so…" he stammered, struggling to find words to describe what had just happened.

"I know love…but if we have…if I am…"

"How long before we can find out?" Carlisle asked, trying and failing to keep the excitement from his voice.

Before I got the chance to answer him, there was a frantic, vicious pounding at the front door.

"CARLISLE! MAE!"

"Is that Peter? I asked clutching at my pounding heart in a panic as I sat up.

Pulling on clothes, Carlisle and I stumbled into the lounge. Carlisle flung open the front door. Peter staggered through, his earlier pale face was now ashen and his eyes were wide with a new, even more raw pain and fear.

"Peter…"

"Carlisle…the bastard…the bastard…he's hurt her…he's hurt my baby girl. Help her Carlisle…help her…pleeeease…" Peter sobbed grasping desperately at Carlisle's T-shirt.

"Jazz?" I demanded as an exhausted looking Jasper, came through the open door.

"You need to see this…" he said grimly raising the lap top he was carrying.


	27. Chapter 27

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; Thankyou guys so much, for your support over RL and my nasty reviewers. It means a lot. Did make me smile how nearly all of you, loved the fact Carlisle thumped Marcus. Marcus is going to suffer a little more in this chap, but at Mae's hands. As for Mae's intuition about the baby…next chapter**

**ESME POV**

I had to swallow hard, to stop the stench of booze, cigarettes, stale sweat, cheap perfume and general neglect that hung so heavily in the air, from causing me to gag.

Marcus, like me had the use of any of the company safe houses or flats when we were in London. He had chosen a pent house apartment in an exclusive marina development in Chelsea. And I was sure, if I were to check the records, he would have made that choice, forgoing his usual preference for basement apartments, not long after he had joined Carlisle and I for dinner once at home. I had noticed Marcus' quick grey eyes, observing and absorbing every detail of the apartment, and the ease with which Carlisle moved around it. But if I was honest, I had noticed Marcus scrutinizing Carlisle, in all sorts of situations. There had been professional curiosity, Marcus had sounded me out more than once about trying to recruit Carlisle, but there was also something else. I knew that Marcus was taking his breakup from his wife Helen hard, and felt a certain amount of jealousy about our relationship, but it was almost as if Marcus was jealous of Carlisle, his abilities…

"What the…" I cursed as in the gloom created by the still drawn curtains I tripped over one, of a pair of 'fuck me, stripper heels'. So now I knew why, Jasper hadn't been able to reach him when the new tape of Georgia had been streamed in from the States. I was just grateful, that I had insisted to Marcus, that all info be cleared to come through the SCI office as well.

There was no more time for waiting on this case. Stefano Volturi was a ruthless, dangerous man who had no regard for human life. Which was fine, if he was playing the game with adults, people who knew the risks of the world they were entering, but which was something, that neither Carlisle or I could, would allow with the life of an innocent fourteen year old child at stake.

Absently, I stroked my hand across my still flat stomach. I still didn't know what had made me tell Carlisle that I thought we had made a baby that morning, but I just felt…

Sick to my fucking stomach.

Having followed the trail of clothes along the lounge floor, I had reached the bedroom to find a nearly naked Marcus draped over the sleeping form of a woman.

A very young woman, I realized as I yanked back the curtains and allowed the bright, early morning sunlight to stream into the room, and straight onto the sleeping couple. A young woman, who bore more than a passing resemblance to me…

"Whaaa the fucc…" Marcus slurred as he sprung up shakily. His hand reaching for, but missing the gun I knew he had tapped to the back of his nightstand.

"Who the fuck are you?" the young girl shrieked, quickly trying to cover her surgically enhanced chest with the sheet.

"House keeping. I'm afraid it's checkout time for any unregistered guests." I snapped tossing her the scraps of clothes I had collected from the floor.

"You can't tell me…"

"Listen sweetheart, you really do not, want to argue with me right now…" I hissed.

The young girl looked between me and Marcus, who was now, sat on the edge of the bed, with his back to her and his head in his hands.

"He owes me 800 quid…" she snarled as she ripped the sheet from the bed and stalked into the en suite.

"You are fucking kidding me?" I hissed at Marcus. "Hookers? Is she even fucking legal?" I couldn't even begin to think about, the fact she looked like an over made up version of me.

"I'm twenty one" the young girl sniffed as she came back into the room.

Yeah right, I thought. And I'm sixteen again.

"I said eight hundred." She shrilled when I handed her the five hundred pounds I had in my wallet. It was just as well Carlisle trusted me, and didn't check our accounts that often. I could just see how thrilled he'd be to know I had paid off a hooker for Marcus. Who just

"Don't push your luck lady…or bother trying to argue, because I don't care if you fucked your way through the Karma Sutra, then gave him a blow job that would put deep throat to shame. That is all you are getting…" I said, as I gripped her firmly by the arm and propelled her towards the door.

"You, get your brain out of your dick, and get yourself ready to work." I hissed over my shoulder at Marcus.

"We'll be there in thirty, twenty if I can manage it. But Carlisle his head is fucked and not, just…with booze…" I sighed down the phone, as entering the kitchen, in an attempt to try and make coffee to sober Marcus up, I saw the half smoked joint on the counter.

"If I was to piss test you now, what would I find? Dope for sure…" I bellowed, holding up the joint. "But what else? Coke? Speed? Vitamin K? Just how fucked up is your head Marcus?" I demanded as he emerged from the bedroom into the lounge, showered, dressed, but still looking awful. His bloodshot eyes widened slightly, as he comprehended my unspoken acknowledgement of the hooker.

"Don't come all holier than thou with me Mae. You weren't adverse to a little chemical pick me up…" he snarled. His shower had cleared his head a little, but I could still see, in his slightly glassy and red eyes, that he was still under the influence of both substances.

"TWO LINES…ONCE… YOU ASSHOLE! After a job you put me on, knowing that I wasn't mentally ready for it…almost fucking killed me. Do you remember Marcus? That you left me hanging, left me at the mercy of a gang of coked up drug dealers…And do you remember what happened? They cut me, to the fucking bone…and tipped me in a fucking swamp! I had just lost Carlisle, my baby…did Rose ever tell you what happened the night I got high?" I demanded. We were now standing toe to toe. "She came home, to find me with my revolver in my mouth…if she'd have come in thirty seconds later…" I almost screamed at him, furiously wiping my hand over my eyes to try and stop the tears that were flowing.

Marcus' already pale face, turned ashen as he took in my words.

"That is what this job, this shitty world we work in…you…had reduced me too…"

"I never wanted that for you…but you, we were so damn good…but he…I'm done Mae…finished…" he groaned, slumping into a chair at the dining table, and holding his head in his hands again. "Helen's gone, I fucked up by not putting a watch on the kid…"

"Georgia, her name is Georgia…" I snapped.

" It was a rookie mistake…just like Sam was…you told me, but I was so pissed at you, so fucking jealous of how you managed to be shit hot at your job, and manage to have a relationship…a proper…normal relationship…that is only going to get stronger…especially when you do have kids…which I'm guessing, judging by the way your hand hasn't left your stomach, may not be as far into the future as I had hoped…" he remarked wryly as he turned his head to look at me. "Helen did the same thing when she first got pregnant with Keira, kept checking to make sure she was actually still there, real…the first twelve weeks are the most dangerous…you need to be careful." he said in reply to my look of surprise.

"It's not definite yet…" I said quietly.

"Washington want Carlisle,…badly…they say as a joint leader of a new unit with me, but…he's got the skills, the connections, the charm, the youth, I don't. I can't see it being long, before I am promoted sideways, or encouraged to take early retirement. They were more than impressed by how he handled the Cavendish case…And just to rub my nose really in the shit…the lucky son of a bitch has you too. A fact he made quite clear last night." Marcus said sadly, rubbing the swollen cut lip Carlisle had given him.

"Here, it is loaded…" I growled, slamming my gun down on the table in front of him. "Just go outside to do it, we haven't got the budget to be replacing carpets and furniture.

Marcus looked at me in shock.

"What? This self indulgent emo crap isn't you talking it's too much booze mixed with whatever shit you were smoking last night. Yes, you may have fucked it up with Helen, and I'm sorry for that, I am. But I will not let you come between Carlisle and I again, especially if I am pregnant. You think we are bad now, the way we act, protect each other? If we have got a child on the way, we will rip you, or anyone who tries to come between us apart, and ask questions later. And for the record Marcus, I never felt that way about you…the only man I ever loved, will ever love is Carlisle, as Paul found out…and that, will never change." I said fiercely.

"Forever is a long time Mae, are you sure he'll always feel the same? Especially, when you're not out in the field with him, but stuck at home bare foot and pregnant playing the good little wife?"

It wasn't so much what Marcus had said, but the sneering, condescending tone in with which he said it.

I leant forward placing my hands on the table.

"No, I'm not sure, I am fucking certain. You want Washington to stop thinking you're some washed up has been. Then start showing them how damn fucking good you can be. This was streamed to the SCI office this morning." I growled snatching up my bag from the chair I had dropped it and retrieving my phone.

"What the fuck…" he stammered. He went to rise, his face chalk white as he took in the images on the screen, but I held him in his seat, taking a savage pleasure in seeing him squirm as he was faced by his greatest fear…snakes.

"How well have you protected the Pharmacist's identity?"

"Well obviously not that well…" he said nodding towards the images.

"Do not make me physically remove your head from your ass Marcus. Does Stefano know, is he able to trace Georgia's connection to Peter Maxwell? Has he tried?" I demanded.

"What no? I don't think so…I…"

"We…that poor little girl, who by the way, was born only two days before your fourteen year old daughter Keira, do not have time for you to think Marcus…we need you to KNOW! Does Stefano know that Peter Maxwell is Georgia's real father? That Peter knows Carlisle?" I demanded.

"I dunno…" Marcus slurred. The brief clarity of thought his earlier shower had given him, starting to fail. With an frustrated snarl, I grabbed him by the back of shirt collar, wrenched him from his seat and dragged him into the kitchen. There were dirty plates soaking in the old fashioned deep sink, some of the food that had not been scraped away properly, floating on the surface of the cold murky water.

"DOES STEFANO KNOW, THAT PETER IS GEORGIA"S FATHER?" I bellowed. Marcus looked between me and the water in the sink, his shock gave way to a cocky smirk, which seemed to say 'you wouldn't'.

So I did.

"You…You…bitch…" Marcus gasped, when I finally yanked his head from the water.

"I am what you, made me…" I replied, before plunging is head back into the water.

"According to the tech guys, and Marcus, Stefano or his people have made no attempt to trace Lydia's ex husband." I announced.

"That's careless…"Jasper remarked.

"He's a desperate man…and desperate men, make mistakes…" I replied.

"And lash out…do we have any idea what type of snake that was?" Carlisle asked, barely able to keep the anxiety from his voice. I could already see the bruises on my side and hip, from where he had crushed me so tightly to his side, as we had watched the video that had arrived this morning.

"It was one with a non lethal venom.…" Emmett announced dramatically as he burst through the door of the briefing room, where we were gathered.

"Are you sure Em?" Carlisle demanded, earning an irritated scowl from Emmett.

"I'm sure…I took the footage to a friend of mine at London Zoo. She may have flu like symptoms for a couple of days, but it's not lethal. Apparently our friend Stefano is a well known lover, breeder of snakes and spiders. He has a pharmacy full of antidotes. The snake on the film looks like a monster, but he is relatively harmless. I think the poor little cow fainted with fright."

I saw Carlisle, who was sat at the head of the table, relax, but only slightly. The images of poor Georgia whimpering in fear, as the huge snake slithered across the floor towards her chair, had sickened and terrified us all.

"I know Stefano is under pressure, but didn't he say in the first video we had time…why is he panicking now?" Jake mused out loud.

"I'll get onto MI6, and see if there has been any chatter from Stefano's prospective business partner, see if he's been upping the pressure, pushing him." Emily said.

"Stefano knew he was being watched. That's how we lost Sam…but would he thing it was by the CIA level?" Jasper asked turning to me. Before I had a chance to enter however, Marcus breezed through the door. Looking like a totally different man to the pathetic sniveling wreck I had been forced to leave in a heap on his kitchen floor. Despite gaining immense pleasure from my methods of trying to sober him up, I did not have the time to mess around, not with Georgia in such a precarious position. I had been forced to call in Dr Monroe, the company doctor, who had come armed with a shot of narcan, which had obviously worked in reversing the effects of whatever Marcus had been smoking. He still looked a little hug over, but I saw the light of determination and eagerness in his eyes.

"Forgive me ladies and gents, it won't happen again…" he said pointedly glancing over at me and Carlisle. I always sat to his right, whilst Jasper sat on the left.

" In answer to your question, as far as Stefano was concerned, Sam was undercover DEA. He expects attempts at infiltration from them every few months. He was a little pissed that Sam got further in than most before he was found out, but apart from that, Sam and the courier have been written off as miscellaneous business expenses as far as Stefano is concerned." Marcus said tightly. "He has no idea that this is an CIA operation, or that Georgia is related in any way to Peter Maxwell, or that Peter knows Carlisle." Marcus said.

Carlisle fixed Marcus with an intense, searching stare that made it look like he was attempting to read his mind. Marcus did not blink, or look away. The silence was almost deafening it was so loaded with emotion, and expectation. Whatever personal grievances we had with each other, the team had to be united for us to be able to move on and deal with the situation ahead of us.

"But? There's some bad news you're not telling me." Carlisle said quietly, his eyes not leaving Marcus' face.

"Irina…she's disappeared. Her surveillance has lost her." Marcus said quietly.

"Could she have gone home?"

"Gone to one of the galleries, trying to find a new painting?"

"Can we not trace her phone?"

"She's dumped it. She's using pre paid cell phones. I have everyone I have, in every country looking for her." He said, his tone sounding slightly desperate for Carlisle and the team to believe him.

While Marcus was talking and the rest of the team, were reacting to his words, Carlisle's intense, gaze was now looking fixed on me.

"How do you all fancy a long weekend in Voltera?" he asked quietly. He had phrased his question to include the whole room, but I knew he was talking to me. I could see every emotion, his fear for Georgia, his anxiety over Irina being missing, his worry that he was doing the right thing putting the team at risk, putting me at risk.

A murmur of confusion echoed round the table.

"Um, we'd love too, but why?" Jake asked finally.

"Because, we are going to go and get Georgia back ourselves." I replied, my gaze not leaving Carlisle's. I hoped that he could see, just as clearly, my answering gaze telling him that as I had promised him, I would be right by his side, facing whatever was thrown at us… till it was over.


	28. Chapter 28

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT.**

**AN;Thankyou as always for your amazing support. It seems none of you, were really surprised that Marcus ended up with a hooker, that just so happened to look like Mae. As for Carlisle finding out…we'll see. Now this is another short chap, I am sorry, I am still having RL/plot problems. Now, the next 2/3 chaps are going to be the big rescue, and what happened to Irina. I didn't want to keep you waiting that long for baby news, so I have taken creative license with Mae's dates and speeded up how fast an EPT would work. It is fiction, and you all really want to know about the baby before the case anyway. So no yelling at me please. I am allowed a slip in total believability once in awhile. Okay rant over. It's just my flamer struck again and made me a little paranoid!lol. **

"I do hope you realize, that the only thing that stopped me from leaving you in a broken and bloodied heap on the floor, was the fact that I could pick…this extremely fine… piece of British ass out of a lineup of hundreds…" Mae purred in my ear, before proceeding to give my ass a firm squeeze.

I had been bending to look in the fridge, and hadn't heard her arrive home.

"Only hundreds?" I teased as I slowly stood.

"Well, it has been awhile since I have placed it under close surveillance…ohhh…." Mae stammered, her planned teasing stopped by her first full on look at me.

"You've straightened your hair…and cut it…" I said finally, to break the long silence as Mae scrutinized me. Mae's curls had been straightened and cut and shaped into a stylish bob. It suited her, but…I couldn't help but miss her curls.

"You've…you're a brunette…" she squeaked, Her hands tentatively reached up, and began to move through my freshly dyed hair.

"Do you like it?" I asked.

"I'm not sure…" she replied quietly.

"What about the glasses? Do sexy American women, still make passes at guys who wear glasses?" I teased. I had added clear lense glasses to my cover, and was wearing them in an attempt to get used to them.

Her crashing her lips roughly against my own gave me my answer.

"Well this one, sure the hell does…" she growled.

_Despite everything that was going on, Stefano Volturi still had standards to maintain, which meant he had to go ahead with the charity ball he threw every year. The guest list was made up of the rich and famous, anyone who had the potential to be of use, or to make Stefano money. I knew he would jump at the chance for a Lord and Lady to attend, but I couldnot see a Lord who just so happened to be head of an organized crime task force and married to an American Secret Service Agent, being welcomed too warmly. And despite Mae and I's best efforts to stay under the public radar, there were pictures of me arriving at the Old Bailey for cases, there were, despite the D notice articles and pictures of Harrowview before and after the fire, and a recent dinner with Edward and Bella had provided the internet with a picture and an article detailing our relationships. And so Sir Thomas Moore and Lady Anna Moore were going to pay him a visit. _

_The main reason that Quentin Bellmore, the society columnist, and editor of De Bretts, the aristocratic bible, had been able to get Lord and Lady Moore onto the parties guest list at such short notice, was because of Embry's considerable inherited collection of Impressionist paintings, which he often leant to museums across Europe. "I may be stuck in the dark, but it just makes me more determined, to help other people to enjoy the light and beauty of the world." He had told me once. I could just see Stefano rubbing his hands together in delight, at the thought of the drugs shipments he could conceal if he won thecontract to ship and handle Embry's collection._

"_Tell the mad bastard he can have the lot, burn them, wipe his arse on them for all I care…" Embry had declared when I had discussed my plan with him._

_Although they were separated by an ocean, Embry had remained close to Georgia, largely thanks to the soft spot Lydia still had for the old man. He was in London trying to comfort and keep Peter calm, but I had seen and heard his fears when he had joined me outside for a cigarette last night. His first in over ten_ _years. _

"_She was just a scrap of a thing when she was born you know? Could fit her in my hand. Almost eight weeks early._ Embry had said wistfully. His sightless and faded blue eyes, gazing into the chilled darkness._ Of course you know, you were there…" _he sighed.

_I had been a uniformed Inspector working the night shift, when an ashen faced Peter had burst into the station. He and Lydia had been out somewhere when her waters had broken in the car. He had wanted to put his foot down and just drive, but there had been a large police presence in town that night, due to a vital world cup game. He didn't want to risk being stopped. Taking one look at Peter's face as I arrived behind the main reception desk, I had vaulted it and leapt into the back of the car, telling him to just floor it and drive. I was carrying a portable radio thankfully, and placed a general message to all units advising them of the situation and the car's registration._

_Despite the doctor's best efforts, Georgia was born three hours later. And as Embry had said, she was so tiny, looking more like a tiny doll than a baby, her skin barely thick enough really to cover her tiny body. Or her tiny heart, which we could almost see, fluttering_ frantically in her _chest. But for all of that, she was beautiful._

"_She was a fighter then Embry, and she'll fight now. She'll come through this…she's your granddaughter…"_I had said lamely.

"_Aye, she is…and there's not a damn fecking thing I can do to help the poor crather…me being nothing but a useless old cripple…" Embry had ground out in frustration, his voice rough and thick with emotion. He must have sensed me opening my mouth to argue, as he held up his hand. " I joined the army to do my bit for Queen and country, but like all soldiers, the big reason we fight…is to keep our families and the people we love safe. And now…when my son, when my poor little pussy cat needs me…I can't help them…" he had stammered, tears coursing down his cheeks unchecked._

_To see Embry, who through everything he had had to face over the years, had always been so positive and strong, as the frightened old man he was, had torn at my heart. And I moved without conscious effort or thought, to hug him. _

"_I know, in the grand scheme of this operation she is just collateral damage, but to us Carlisle…she is…"Embry had said when he had composed himself, he was as we all did at moments of stress and uncertainty, trying to hide behind the protective shell his army training could offer._

"_She's family, despite the distance and the fact that Lydia hates me…"_

"_Because, you encouraged Peter not to become just another chinless wonder with a title. You showed him he could do something with his life…" Embry had said roughly. "And I thank god and Aro every day, for the man you have become."_

"_I'll get her back…Embry…I promise…" I I had said. Breaking one of the golden rules of my job. You never, ever promised a relative, victim something that you knew you might not be able to deliver. But when I had, had to sit through that video, that had reduced Peter to a pleading desperate wreck, his face and eyes wild with fear and pain. I knew I would do everything in my power to get Georgia back in one piece. But I couldn't do it alone. I had given the team, including Emmett, the chance to opt out, of what_ _could be a very dangerous operation. One that could see people hurt or worse, and could because of the person and situation we were dealing with, be denied by both Governments. But they all opted to come with me, and were quite insulted that I had even suggested such a thing. Nothing refreshed our belief in our jobs, and their importance more, than when a child was in danger. And there was nothing we wouldn't do to get the job done. And dying my hair was a small sacrifice._

I was not one for the aristocratic social scene, and so was not that well known amongst the crowd that were, but I was determined not to take any chances. Especially with Irina being missing. And so, Sir Thomas Moore, who had achieved his title thanks to his business acumen and charity work, was going to be a brunette who wore glasses.

" Okay, the hair is growing on me…makes it easier for me to fantasize about Peter Facinelli…" Mae teased.

"Funny you should mention him…I was thinking your hair, made you look more like Jennie Garth, I had a huge crush on her…"I shot back. The words had barely left my mouth, before Mae had spun us round, so she was straddling me and had my hands pinned above my head.

"The only people allowed in this bed…are me and you…" she said tipping forward so there was barely a breath of air between us.

"Sir Thomas Moore and Lady Anna?"

"Confined to the living room and kitchen…" Mae growled.

"So who was it, that dragged me in here again…Anna or Mae?"

Mae did not ask for permission, she simply crashed her lips against me and roughly claimed my mouth, her tounge exploring and claiming my mouth as her own.

"Okay…the only woman who can kiss like that…is my…wife…my Mae" I chuckled, as I gripped her hips, and slipped my hand round her back, and spun us again, so that she was beneath me once more and I was looming over her.

"And don't you forget it…" she breathed, her hands running roughly through my hair.

"Never my love." I replied, kissing her softly. "But there is something else I can't forget about Mae…"

"Carlisle, I could be wrong, we could be getting our hopes up for no reason…" Mae said, I could hear her anxiety and pain at the thought she was wrong heartbreakingly clear in her voice.

"I know, but we knew it could take time…and if this isn't our time, we'll try again…but I think…in here Mae…" I said taking her hand and holding it over my heart. "I think you're right…I think you are carrying a very special gift abroad with us…" I said.

"Do you want to find out for sure?" she said softly.

"Now? Really? Can we?" I stammered.

" I took a look at my dates…an EPT…early pregnancy test…" she said in response to my obviously blank look. "It would work now…we can know…if you want to…" she said shyly.

"Do I want to? Mae! Of course I want to know! There's a twenty four hour chemist not far…" I said springing out of bed and looking around desperately for my clothes. I cursed as I stubbed my toe.

She was giggling. Despite my pain, I couldn't help but smile, it was such a beautiful sound.

"Jeez, if you're like this at the conception…heaven knows what you'll be like, if I go into labour in the middle of the night!" she chuckled.

"My love, there will be a full police escort on standby for your entire ninth month…" I replied. She thought I was joking.

"Carlisle, you don't have to go any further than the lounge. I picked some tests up on the way home from the hairdressers. I didn't want to use a wig this time…and I couldn't risk colouring it…just in case…" she said, the excitement and teasing leaving her voice, to be replaced once more, by anxiety and fear.

"Do you want some help?" I called through the door ten minutes later. The tests said that the optimum time to use them was in the morning, but neither of us could wait that long, and we had to leave for Voltera in the morning.

Mae had bought four tests, to be scientific.

"No love…I think we need to keep some mystery…the last thing you need, is to see me…trying to…pee…on…a …damn…small…stick…" she growled in reply.

I chuckled softly.

Oh God please…please…we've been through so much…please…Dad…please…we deserve this…please, if anyone was put on this earth to be a mother…it's her. Please let it be positive…please… I prayed silently to myself as I paced outside the bathroom door.

Finally, the door opened. I stepped into the bathroom to see Mae sitting on the edge of the tub, gripping the hand basin as she stared intently at the four tests she had laid out on the toilet seat. I sat next to her. My heart almost broke as she turned her head to look at me. She was as white as the tub and shaking, but it was the look in her eyes…hope, excitement…fear…

"How long?" I rasped, slipping an arm round her shoulder.

"Three minutes…" she whispered burying her head in my neck.

"If…we're not..if this isn't our time…we can, we will keep trying, when there is less stress…when we have more time…" I whispered into her hair, hoping that she wasn't able to hear the desperation and anxiety in my own voice.

This was no longer something we were planning for an unspecified future date. This was really, happening. I…we, were potentially three minutes away from laying the last of our ghosts from the past to rest and beginning the future we had both fought so hard for.

"Carlisle…where are you going?" Mae demanded, when I stood up a minute later and hurried back into the bedroom.

"I'm…calling the speaking clock…it was 7.24 exactly when I walked in here, I want to make sure we give it exactly three minutes…" I babbled as I returned carrying my cell phone.

"Carlisle, you are wearing a Swiss watch, one of the most reliable time pieces ever made." Mae said, her eyes rolling in disbelief. "And I don't think an extra minute is going to make much difference…" she sighed, her eyes moving from me to the tests.

"Well…it's time…" I said quietly.

"You look…I can't…I can't lose another…have the dream of our baby taken from me in another bathroom…I can't.." she said suddenly, springing up from her perch on the side of the bath and pushing past me out of the room.

"Mae!" I called. Jesus! The evil bitch whom I had the misfortune to call my mother, she was still tormenting my poor Mae, even from beyond the grave.

Mae was standing on the balcony, her arms wrapped protectively around her stomach, when I emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later on weak legs. Snatching up the throw from over the back of the sofa, I stepped outside, shivering slightly as the cold night wind ruffled my sleep pants and T-shirt. I slipped the blanket over her shoulders before pulling her back against my chest, and wrapping my arms tightly around her.

"I'm sorry…that wasn't fair…" she whispered.

"I understand…" I said kissing the top of her head. "But nothing has been taken away from us Mae. It's taken us…eight years…and more than our fair share of pain and tears…but…we…you…" I said roughly, turning her in my arms. She was shaking violently and almost ashen faced as she looked at me, her eyes pleading and desperate, but still alight with the tiniest glimmer of hope. "you…my beautiful…brave…amazing wife…who has just achieved the impossible…and made me love…and adore you even more…are officially…going to have a baby…" I rasped, hoping that my words were audible, as I was now crying unashamedly.

"We did it…"she whispered. Her hands moving to stroke and hold my face as a million different emotions flickered across her face.

I nodded.

"Are you sure?" she said.

"All four tests were positive my darling." I replied, attempting to wipe away the tears that were coursing down her cheeks, with my thumbs.

"Carlisle…I…we…I love…" Mae stammered.

"I know. I love you two…" I said letting one hand fall, to gently rest on her stomach. "Always…" I said kissing her softly. "Always…and Forever…" I breathed as I claimed her mouth once more. Her soft lips yielded beneath mine for a long moment, before Mae tightened her hold on me and began to kiss me back

There was no rush, just tenderness and so much love, and god knows how many other emotions that it made us both whimper with its intensity. It was no longer just Mae and I against the world now. Either Harper or Alexander were on the way to help bring new light, new hope into our often dark and dangerous world. And I couldn't wait.

"Welcome aboard the Orient Express, my name is Henry, and I'll be your personal porter for your trip. Please don't hesitate to let me know if there is anything I can do for you."

"Thank you Harry, I think we're alright for now…" I said pressing his tip into his palm.

"I still can't believe you booked us on the Orient Express…" Mae squealed as Harry left our cabin. "But I'm so glad you did…"

"I know how much you've wanted to take a trip on it, but we've never had the time…and I swear we will take a longer trip…when this is all over…to celebrate…"

"This…is perfect… It beats a first class airplane seat any day." she said wrapping an arm round my neck, and peppering my lips with feather like kisses. The rest of the team had started flying in, under the guise of business people or tourists yesterday. There was a festival happening in the town at the same time as the party. Rose and Emmett were coming in by ferry, hidden angst a group of geologists that were working nearby.

The Orient Express was the definition of old fashioned, but luxurious travel. It was a steam train, decorated in an exquisite 1930's art deco style. And the liveried porters and very 'English" way of doing things, really did make it seem like you had stepped back in time. But Mae had a grace, an elegance…a beauty that was truly timeless, even whilst she was pretending to be someone else. And as always, I was rendered almost speechless with pride, gratitude and love, as dressed in an elegant little black dress with silver beading, Mae took my arm, giving me a look of such love and happiness, it was still very early days, but she truly was glowing, and we enter entered the dining car for dinner.

"Now I anyone gets murdered, you cannot investigate…" she whispered across the table at me, shaking out her linen napkin loudly to cover her voice.

"Okay, no more Agatha Christie books for you Miss Marbles…" I replied, trying and failing, to bite back my grin at her silliness.

She pouted at me adorably. It took all my control, not to lean over the table and nibble on her bottom lip.

Dinner was served on the finest china the cutlery was solid silver, the food prepared by a Michelin stared chef, mouth wateringly good. But it was the atmosphere that affected both Mae and I most. The muted lighting, the sound of soothing classical music playing in the background, the gentle rumble of the trains wheels as it sped us, too quickly towards our destination

To Voltera. To Stefano Volturi

"What's wrong?" she asked as she glanced up at me, and saw the concern which I was obviously doing a bad job of hiding.

I opened my mouth, about to argue that I was fine, but the look in her eye, and the realization that this was not the time or place for any of my 'super cop crap' as she called it, made me think twice.

"Just a little nervous I guess. I'm playing with the big boys now…or should I say girls…"I said smiling tightly.

_The one person I needed, wanted by my side through the shit storm we were about to enter, was Mae. I needed needed her strength, her skills, I needed her. She helped me focus, think, she could interpret my moves before I made them. But I could not get the sight of those four pregnancy tests out of my head._

_**POSOTIVE**_

_They thrilled me, terrified me. She could have been wrong, overwhelmed by what was, the most intense love making experience Mae I had ever had. I was hard to explain it, it felt from my point of view at least, that we couldn't get close enough to each other, touch enough of each other, taste enough of each other. We had set each other on fire with just the barest caress. Our need to be consumed by each other had been almost primal, and in the end, we simply gave in. I had never been so deep within her, my body had never felt so alive, I had never felt so loved, especially when in my panic at the intense emotions and feelings I was trying to control, Mae had crushed me to her, protecting me with her body_.

_But she wasn't. My beautiful, brave Mae really was pregnant! I could not shake the fear, the doubt. What if by coming with me, standing by my side, fighting like the demon I knew she could be when she was trying to protect an innocent, the team…me, Harper or Alexander were placed in danger as well? _

_And I had seen all my fears reflected in Mae's eyes, as I had watched her in the briefing room. But I had also seen, strength, reassurance that I was doing the right thing that, she was with me till the end._ _No matter what. _

"_Have you thought, that I…the baby could suffer just as much, maybe even more, through the stress that being separated from you could cause?" _ Mae had said when we had taken a few minutes alone together on the roof.

"_But…if anything happened…to you…to…" _My hand had reached out _and gently brushed her stomach. Mae had caught my hand and held it in place there._

"_I promise, I will not do anything stupid, take any unnecessary risks. Carlisle, you know I would never, could never hurt this baby. I love him or her so much already. But I will fight with everything I have, to protect Georgia, the team…you." The fire in her eyes as she said those last words, had been so intense, I had been unable to stop myself from kissing her. Tenderness had quickly given way to passion and our tounges had dueled for a log moment. Mae gaining the upper hand over me, as she sucked gently on the side of my tounge, reducing me to a moaning wreck, as she knew she would. But just as quickly as her fight had come, it had left again, and her lips yielded beneath mine, her mouth happily granting me access and judging by her soft moans, enjoying my gentle strokes, sucks and nips_

_Mae's fire and determination had returned, by the time she had strode back into the briefing room fifteen minutes later. And I had happily sat back and watched as the intelligent, strong, sexy as hell woman who I was blessed to call my wife, and soon to be mother of my child, took charge._

"_Who have we got in Voltura contact wise?" she had demanded of Marcus. I had expected him to object to her tone, or pull the classified card, but he didn't. There was something in the look that passed between them that made me uneasy. And I hadn't been the only one. I could see that Jasper had noticed the slight tip in the balance of power._

_Marcus had then reeled off a list of contacts that were under deep cover in various arms of Stefano's organization, but it was his latest asset that caught our attention._

"_Lucia Morone. Her younger brother owned a club in Voltura that Stefano and his cronies used. There was some sort of argument about nine months ago and her brother hasn't been seen since. Franco Cresus, our asset in the police department, who also happens to advise Stefano's team on security matters, put a team on her. Something he does whenever someone 'disappears' from Stefano's world, just in case anyone actually has the balls to carry out the revenge threats they make against him. Turns out she did got, closer than most. Franco caught her in time put her to work for us as house keeper, she's become quite close to Irina. She managed to get word out to Franco, that the girl…Georgia, is being held in the East Wing. It's being renovated, so only 'authorized personnel' have access." Marcus had reported, in a tone that sounded more like a child, who was desperately trying to convince his teacher that he had done his home work._

But now I was here, in Mae's world, where there were none of the rules, where the reputation I had in England meant almost nothing, where I couldn't protect her as much I would like to, plan. I couldn't help but be a little nervous.

"The female of the species is more deadly, especially in this world baby…so you are playing on exactly the right team." Mae said quietly, reaching across the dining table and taking my hand in both of hers. I could not tear my gaze, from her face which was bathed in a golden glow from the tiffany style lamp on our table. "And know…I will have your back…all the way. Carlisle…this, us being here…we're doing this for our family. Georgia, who is here and needs us now. But also, for our baby, who needs us to have done all we need to do as Cullen and Mae…so that we can concentrate on being…Mom and Dad…" she said softly, her voice catching a little with emotion as she brushed her lips gently against my knuckles.

"Now tell me about Thomas Moore?" she said her tone business like, but her expression still soft and loving. My surprise at her change of tone must have shown on my face.

"Relax darling…the little old couple to our left are watching us…" Mae purred softly, running her foot, which was now, minus her high heel, slowly up the inside of my leg. "You can do this darling…the children and I…have every faith in you…" she said softly, the look in her eyes telling me quite clearly, that she did not just mean the team we had bought with us, who we had christened 'our children'.

Early the next morning, the train arrived at the station in the town nearest to Voltura. I was just helping Mae down onto the platform, when a heavily accented voice said from behind me.

"Sir Thomas Moore?"

This was it. Mae had proved herself more than an equal in my professional world, I just hoped that I could do the same in hers. And as if she had heard my thoughts, I felt her squeeze my hand tightly, whilst giving me a look that told me as clearly as if she had written it in sixty foot high letters across the sky.

"You can do this…I believe and trust you…I love you…"

"Yes." I said turning round.


	29. Chapter 29

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; What can I say about my wonderful readers that I haven't before? Thank you all, so very much for your continued support and encouragement, it means more than I can tell you. And as always, I could not have done it without JuleWhatev, or fallanydeeper. Love you tweeties. ( I am on twitter, as CI5girl if you're interested) A big hello to the new readers who have joined the madness. Welcome and thank you. RL is still being difficult, so I apologize for the delays and still short chapters, I thought you'd prefer a little when I had it. You will see how Mae feels about being pregnant, just not yet I have that scene planned for later on. The team are in Volterra, and things are going to get a bit rough, so brace yourself for strong scenes and images over the next two chapters, but I can promise you now. The baby will NOT be harmed. I am not that cruel. Oh, and this is a very late birthday present for texasunshine09 and booklover2theextreme. I tried girls, really I did, but I just couldn't squeeze a lemon in this one, Happy Birthday my tweethearts.**

**JASPER'S POV**

One pm.

Carlisle and Mae were late.

Their train had been delayed, but I had been sat in the hotel foyer long enough to see and talk briefly, to a few other Orient Express passengers who assured me, that the train had arrived nearly ninety minutes ago. And although the traffic was heavier due to the influx of tourist's for the "living dead" vampire festival, the route to the hotel had been pretty clear.

Something was wrong. No forget that, something was totally fucked.

I had arrived last night and checked into one of the adjoining suites we had booked in the Hotel Pallazzo, the five star hotel which ran along one entire side of the town square. Our plan was to look over the plans of the of Stefano's mansion where our intelligence said that Georgia was being held. Lucia had marked all the plans, showing us which windows and doors were alarmed and where, as well as listing the routes and times of the security patrol. Before heading to a small restaurant on the square, where under the cover of the crowds gathering for a parade, we could discuss things in more detail with Rose and Emmett. Our basic plan was for Carlisle or Esme, snatch Georgia back during the fire work display at the end of the ball, and slip her out amongst the crowd, to where I would be waiting just outside the gates. I would then get her to the city gates, where Rose and Emmett would be waiting to take her onto the port, where they would catch a ferry to France, where they would then board a private jet. Georgia would be travelling on a very impressive fake passport, that said she was Rose's younger sister Abigail.

But as I observed the thickening crowd of tourist's thronging the square, none of whom were Carlisle and Mae, from my seat at an outside table at our agreed meeting place, my unease began to grow. A sudden explosion of shrieking and laughter from my left made me jump. Turning my head, I couldn't help but smile.

Thirty minutes ago, Emmett playing the clichéd tourist to perfection, complete with a migraine inducing shirt, had bumbled his way into the sqaure and began trying on pieces of festival memorabilia from nearly every stall that lined the edges of the cobbled square. An eye rolling Rose trailing after him, before she had thrown a not so pretend strop and stomped over to where I was sitting, supposedly engrossed in what was on my lap top screen. How they managed to provide a WIFI signal in what was effectively, the large courtyard of Stefano's sprawling mansion come Castle, which was perched atop of a hill and loomed over the town, I'll never know. Rose had not panicked when I had told her that I had had no contact with Carlisle and Mae yet.

"_This shit happens out in the field…and if there is trouble…Mae can handle it…if you, Carlisle and the big oaf…" she had snapped nodding her head briefly in Emmett's direction "are the Kings of your little world in London, then this…Europe…this is Mae's world. And having Carlisle here with her…that'll make her even sharper. She would rather die…fuck, what am I saying? She would fucking die if anything happened to him…Give her a chance…" _Rose had said during our hurried conversation hunched over a map. I knew she was right, about things going wrong in the field and about Mae, but as the time ticked on, I knew even Rose's confidence would be beginning to falter.

She and Emmett were now on the other side of the square, ostensibly for a better view of the small parade of red cloaked "living dead" that was snaking through the square chanting something in Latin that I couldn't quite catch. If it wasn't for Carlisle's patient tutoring at school, I would have never been out of detention with 'Squinty" Tremor, our sadistic Latin Master, who believed the best way to get boys to learn, was to beat the information into them…literally. I thought to myself as I watched them, unable to control the shudder that gripped my body.

We did not know just who was in Stefano's pay in the town, and we did not want to draw attention to ourselves by being seen together too often. There was after all, only so many legitimate reasons two casually dressed geologist's come tourist's would have to talk to a business man in a handmade suit, shoes and…thanks to his crazy wife a Stetson. So Emmett who loomed large over a lot of the gathered crowds, had begun watching me through his zoom lensed camera, waiting for me to give the signal, that Carlisle and Mae had arrived.

However Emmett, who had been almost childishly excited about getting the chance to come out into the field, was now obviously dealing with his nerves, in his own unique way, which seemed to be, stomping around after a gang of local children, swishing a vampire cape and trying to do his impression of the Count from Sesame Street, whilst wearing a huge set of plastic vampire teeth. It would be an image that I feared would never, ever leave me, especially if my little baby girl ever saw it. Danielle only had to look at Emmett and she would let out the most infectious chuckle of sheer delight, I have ever heard a baby make. And her chuckle would only deepen when Emmett would treat her to a show of his not inconsiderable skills as a mimic. One day, whilst talking to Alice and me at lunch, Emmett had unleashed his deep booming voice in a scary chuckle, Dani had not cried or become upset as we had feared, she had merely observed for a long moment, before literally wetting herself laughing. So I knew that when she was old enough to understand, vampire Emmett was going to become one of her favourites.

Emmett had just swept up to my table, when my phone bleeped and I saw a message appear that caused my heart to begin spasming painfully in my chest.

_**CALL HOME-THE BABY IS SERIOUSLY ILL.**_

I had to take several deep breaths and remind myself, that my baby girl was fine. That this was the code that we had worked out with Jake, who along with a temporarily transferred Leah, was running the office whilst we were away.

Carlisle and Mae really were in trouble.

"_**Irina! Where the hell are you? Please do not tell me that something else has gone wrong! Your stupidity is costing me time I do not have. Our…potential investors are becoming…demanding, their patience failing, as is mine. I am having enough problems with our unexpected house guest, I do not need to be bothered by caterer's and florists shoving things at me to taste and smell, that my dear wife is your job."**_

"Stefano, darling, do not upset yourself, I will be back in plenty of time for the ball, which will be as beautiful and memorable for our guests as it always is. Especially the uninvited ones."

"_**Irina! I am in no mood for riddles, speak plainly or shut that pretty little mouth of yours...before I take great delight in shutting it for you permanently."**_

"Sir Thomas Moore and his wife, Lady Anna…the owners of the large collection of Impressionist paintings…they are not who they say they are. They are married and titled, but there real name is Cullen…Carlisle and Esme Cullen, although she is often known in professional circles as AGENT, Mae Marshall, and he…"Irina babbled, her voice thick with barely concealed anger and also fear.

"_**I know exactly who Lord Carlisle…or should I say Detective Chief Superintendant Carlisle Cullen is…I've read the file we have on him often enough. You're sure?" **_There had been rumours, that had now sickeningly had been confirmed, that Stefano kept files on the heads of all the senior officers of the serious crime, secret service units in the world that were trying to stop him.

"_Yes Darling. I was doing as you asked, liquidating as many of our businesses here in London as possible, to free up some cash…and well, whilst I was visiting one of the escort agencies…one of the girls…one of our best girls had been under paid by one of her clients…"_

"_**Idle chatter."**_

"_Backed up my love, by testimony from three other girls, one of whom who had been marked and beaten by the same man. A man who when he was…under the influence of cocaine, was extremely eager to pose for the camera…and who is quite photogenic…"Irina crowed, her voice dripping with delighted malice and sarcasm_

"_**Who is it?"**_

"_Someone we have a file on…one of the top level of …American secret service."_

"_**Irina!"**_Stefano had snapped

"_Marcus Delaney…"Irina had replied_

"He's fucking dead…when I see that two faced spooky sonofabitch…" Emmett growled, staggering back from me. We had moved down to the far, quieter end of the square and I had pulled out one, of two pay as you go, untraceable cell phones I had with me to call Jake. He had been professional, but the panic I could hear him desperately trying to conceal, had told me louder than any words he could say, that there was something badly wrong.

"Is it true Jake?" I whispered, feeling the plastic covering of the phone receiver crack begin my hand.

"Yes…Marcus…" Jake spat the name out as if it were something poisonous he had accidently swallowed "he was in here this morning…Irina was waiting in his care with some photo's, trying to blackmail him…he swears blind that he didn't tell her anything about the boss…and the boss…but…he had pictures…the paperwork about the bosses fake passports in his briefcase…"

"That he left in the car…" I groaned.

"On the floor behind the passenger seat…"Jake replied quietly. "I would have tried to tell you sooner…but he…we had words…the cowardly fucker was pissing around, telling me that he would call you…but he wouldn't sir…I know he wouldn't…and he wouldn't give me the tape…it was picked up on one of the bugs that his team has on Irina. So…I arrested him sir…" Jake said quickly.

"For what?" I demanded unable to control the snort of laughter that escaped me.

"Obstruction…oh and Harris noticed that his tax disk was out of date…it was all I could think of sir…I'm sorry. But it gave me enough time to grab the tape from the stuff taken off him when he was processed."

"Where is he now?"

"Heading home for a shower if he has any sense…I got Sgt Michael's to put him in Sid…" Jake said sniggering slightly. Sid was a prolific shop lifter, who took great delight in staging dirty protests at what he classed was police persecution.

"Jake…I am tipping the ridiculous hat Alice made me wear, to you. I think it's safe to say you have passed your next review with flying colours."I chuckled humourlessly.

"But… what about Carlisle and Mae? " he stammered.

" Oh Christ…not Laurent…he sent Laurent…" Marcus wailed three hours later. After a long and not entirely successful shower, Marcus had flown out to Voltera, and was now in my hotel room, looking at CCTV footage of Carlisle and Mae arriving at the train station earlier that morning.

Carlisle as a brunette was a bit of shock.

"What? What's wrong? Who is he?" I demanded, freezing the tape on the face of the man who had approached them.

"They call him the…Vampire…he likes to see his victims…blood…lots of his victims blood before he…"

Marcus did not get to finish his sentence, as I had smashed my fist into his jaw.

**AN; I know! I'm sorry *runs to hide* But as I said, I really did think you'd prefer something when RL and the creative gods saw fit to bless me with it. If that's not the case, tell me…please don't shout, and I won't post again till I have more, but that could take a while. I know you do, but please trust me…and remember what I said before. The baby and therefore Mae, will NOT be harmed. And neither will Carlisle…*ducks back under the table***


	30. Chapter 30

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; I have the best readers ever. I'm so glad you liked the last chapter. Anyone who has read my other story, knows I do like to change POV's now and then, to try and add a little depth. Doesn't all ways work, but I do love you all for humouring me. Now, this chap..I'm nervous, this is Carlisle and Mae's last big case before they start settling down, so I am going to TRY and go all out on the action. I know some of you won't like it…please remember that this is AU, so the characters..even Carlisle, can act of character, especially if provoked. And they are technically on a 'deniable operation'. I am hoping that you will find something in this chap to like. This is M rated for language and dark images.**

**ESME POV**

"Sir Thomas Moore?"

It had been ten years, but I would know Laurent De Brek's smooth melodic tones and charming…but deadly smile, which never reached his never still dark eyes anywhere. And if I had been able to hear him more clearly over the noise of passengers disembarking from the train, and more importantly, if that evil bitch hadn't left me with greatly improved, but still not perfect vision in bright sunlight, I might have been able to get Carlisle… and my baby, away from the sadistic son of a bitch. Instead of encouraging Carlisle, with a squeeze of his hand, to turn and face who I thought was a porter approaching us.

But it was too late.

Carlisle and I had been burned…betrayed…we were going to…

"Yes…" Carlisle said smoothly, covering his nerves perfectly. His dazzling smile faltered only slightly, when Laurent motioned with his eyes, for Carlisle to look down at the muzzle of the gun that was pointing right at his stomach, from below the jacket Laurent had draped over his arm. In a move that I knew he would attempt with any female colleague he was working with, Carlisle took a slight step backwards and to the left, in an attempt to try and shield me with his own body. But him, his eyes never leaving Laurent's, reaching back one large hand and placing it protectively over my own, which I had unconsciously placed over my stomach, over our baby…that was a move that was meant for only for me…his wife…mother of the child we had both waited so long for, the child we both already loved so much.

And it was exactly what I needed to focus and rip away the protective, but unhelpful fog of shock that had settled round my brain.

"How?" Carlisle asked quietly

"Irina… is a very resourceful woman…but it seems she had a little unintentional help. I do think it's sad, when men like Marcus stay in their jobs past their prime…become careless…"

"Sonofabitch…"I hissed.

"If it's any consolation…he wasn't aware of the help he gave us…" Laurent offered, his tone dripping, with insincerity and malice.

"I should have thrown him off the fucking roof when I had the chance." Carlisle growled.

I had known that by coming to Voltera, taking Stefano on, on his turf, we would be playing a dangerous game. Laurent's arrival meant that it would now be a game, where none of the unwritten, but well known rules of international undercover work were valid. Carlisle and I would be fighting for our lives…and the lives of two innocent children. Our baby's and Georgia

And to have any chance of winning a street fight, which was now to me what this situation was, you hard to hit hard, fast and keep your opponent on the back foot by using whatever weapon's or elements of surprise you had to hand. I would never know whether it was; experience, my shattered trust in Marcus, a 'mother's instinct' to protect my child kicking in early, or my soul destroying, paralyzing fear of having Carlisle taken from me, that had lead me to placing a few of my own plans, that I had not told Carlisle and the team about, in place for our trip.

Plans that I could only pray would work, and give Carlisle and I…our baby, a fighting chance of surviving. Taking a deep breath to try and steady my pounding heart and ragged and erratic breathing, I stepped forward, causing Carlisle to have to loosen his almost painful hold on me.

"You're looking well Laurent…" I said finally. Miraculously, my voice sounded calm. Carlisle's head snapped round to look at me, and in the brief seconds his body relaxed from its tensed fighting stance, I grasped his hand tightly in my own, interlocking our fingers and wrapped my other arm around his upper arm pressing myself close to him, trying to stop him springing at Laurent, whilst trying to silently, convey to him to follow my lead.

"As are you Mae…married life agrees with you…" he said pleasantly. I was thankful that the noise from the train and thankfully oblivious, people all around us, meant that Laurent could not hear the low snarling that I could hear Carlisle making deep in his throat.

"Shall we…I'd hate to cause a scene…endanger innocent people…" Laurent said, motioning for us to start walking. "And please…don't try anything heroic DCS Cullen…or you Mae…"

"In this skirt?" I snapped, wondering just how the hell I was, going to pull off what I hoped would happen next, in the tight pencil skirt of the suit I was wearing.

"You forget Mae I've seen you take a man down, with a high heeled shoe." Laurent chuckled humourlessly.

"Oh yeah…sorry about that…I know they were your favourite pair… but they were the nearest thing to hand." I said earning an angry growl from Laurent and a slight twitch of the lips from Carlisle, who I knew from behind the relative cover of his mirrored shades, was scanning the area to try and determine how much possible back up Laurent could have brought with him.

Slowly, I felt Carlisle press one…two…three…fingers against my palm.

Laurent had bought three guards with him. It was strange, but I found myself feeling more flattered, that he, that Stefano had classed Carlisle as such a serious threat, that we would require that level of 'containment'. But I could feel my confidence begin to wane as we drew ever closer to the station exit and Laurent's Lexus, which was illegally parked, but being studiously ignored by the policemen outside.

When I thought about it later, I couldn't decide whether Laurent or Carlisle, had looked angrier when Julie, one of the brightest new young operatives in our European office, who was dressed as a backpacker and had her heads buried in a guide book, barged into my shoulder, knocking my bag from my shoulder and sent the contents spilling across the floor. But before either could do or say anything, Sophia, another more experienced field officer, came running forward and apologizing for her clumsy sister. With practiced ease, Sophia slipped herself between Carlisle and Laurent and Julia and I, who were on the ground trying to pick up the contents of my bag.

It gave Julia and I just under a minute, but it was long enough for Julie to slip the gun she had bought with her into my bag, and for me to whisper;

"There's a cowboy in the Eclipse suite that's going to need a gun…"

With us being unable to trust that the staff at the Pallazo, I had arranged for Julie and Sophia to make a weapons drop for Carlisle, Jasper and me to use at the station. The plan both Marcus and Carlisle expected, was for us to pay Alexander, a contrary old Navy Seal who was now the main European Secret Service armourer a visit. But Alexander was volatile…and a close friend of Marcus'. And as much as it hurt after all the years we had worked together, the friendship I thought we had developed, I could never trust Marcus the way I used to again. I was worried for Carlisle and I, but also Julie and Sophia that the back up guards Laurent had bought with him had seen something, but even if they had, Laurent hadn't given them chance to say anything. After barking at them in Italian, he had roughly yanked me to my feet and frog marched me to the car. He knew Carlisle would have no choice but to follow, especially as we were now drawing attention.

Ever the gentleman, even in a situation like this, Carlisle opened the rear passenger door for me. I reached up as if to kiss his cheek.

"Be ready baby…" I whispered in his ear before placing a soft kiss on his cheek. His jaw tightened slightly and I heard his breath catch slightly in his throat, but as our eyes locked, he had despite the bright sunshine, removed his sunglasses, almost as if he knew that we would need the eye contact, I saw that his fear and anxiety was being overruled by his faith…in me, in us.

"So what's the plan Laurent?" I asked when we were in the car, Carlisle in the front and me in the back, at Laurent's insistence.

Laurent's cold, dead black eyes met mine in the driver's mirror.

"I've always admired that about you Mae, even when you know it's gonna hurt…and hurt bad…you don't plead or beg…even in Florida with Gonzales and his crew…you fucking took what I gave you like a man, better than some men I've known…and I know that must have hurt…did it scar much?" he asked conversationally

"That was you…you cut her?" Carlisle snarled.

Oh Christ…I needed Carlisle to hold his temper, at least till I found out what I needed to know.

"She has lovely skin…so smooth…smells good too…it's rare I get a chance to practice my knife skills on skin like that." Laurent replied matter of factly. I could not control the shudder that ripped through me, but I did manage to swallow the bile I could feel rising in my throat as I was assaulted by memories of the night I had been tipped half dead into a Florida swamp.

"Finally, the English gentleman's stiff upper lip breaks. You want to hurt me don't you your Lordship…make me pay for marking your woman…" Laurent taunted, turning his head slightly to observe Carlisle, who looked truly terrifying. His face was twisted into a mask of pure hate and animalistic rage, but his voice when he spoke was calm and incredibly refined.

"I would like…to rip you limb from fucking limb you fucking animal…before taking off your head and pissing down your neck…"

After a long moment of silence, during which Laurent's eyes remained firmly fixed on Carlisle's face and not on the road. The two of them engaged in a silent but deadly face off, Laurent's burst into noisy laughter.

"Fuck, I really wish I had the time to take you on…I haven't had a decent work out in ages…the guys at the castle…the only thing they have between their ears is muscle, they don't have the brains or skill…that I think you have your Lorship…I can see why Mae chose you…she's a girl who needs a real man…someone who can play just as rough as she can…" Laurent laughed.

"So Stefano's pushed for time…" I said quickly, desperately trying to focus Carlisle on our situation, rather than his desire to end Laurent here and now.

"He's a busy man…"

"I can imagine running protection rackets, prostitutes, people smuggling rings…oh and the odd art gallery…is a full time job."Carlisle remarked dryly. He hadn't mentioned the Vitamin K drugs deal or Georgia. Whilst we were the ones who had to clean up the mess the creation of Vitamin K had created, the decisions about its continued viability in regards to the Batari situation, its supply and Stefano Volturi's part in it were decisions that would be made well above Carlisle and I's pay grade. Our priority was Georgia. Intelligence reports and what happened to Sam told us that what Laurent had been sent to do to Carlisle and I, was a standard thing that Stefano did to any police/informers he located in his organizations. All Carlisle and I could do was pray, that Marcus had not let slip that we were there for any other reason than to try and gain information. If he had, then Georgia was dead. As were the rest of our team…our friends, who were with us. But…I knew Laurent…if he had known the team were in town…he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from taunting us with it.

"A funny man as well…you did choose well Mae…but I'm thinking, maybe it would have been kinder if I had killed you in Florida…then you wouldn't have to face the pain of seeing what you and his Lordship had…and what you've lost…in those last few moments…" Laurent sighed dramatically.

Loose Carlisle…after everything we'd been through…loose our future…our future that now included a baby…our baby. Laurent was driving at speed through the small town in which the station was located, but that wasn't what causing my head to reel, and my heart to try and burst out of my chest.

It was fear, that was quickly being diluted by my body's now natural reaction, to stand, face and fight my fears.

Could the amount of adrenaline I felt coursing through me, harm the baby? My hand moved without me realizing it, to rest protectively over my stomach.

I'm sorry Alex…Mummy…or Daddy, would never do anything to hurt you on purpose…please..please know that…we love you so very much already…we just…we don't have a choice in what we've got to do now. I silently told our son. I would never know what put the image of my blonde haired, blue eyed son into my head at that moment, but for the briefest moment, I saw him so clearly I had to swallow hard to stop myself crying out. And when Carlisle had lowered the shade on the passenger side, complaining that the sun had hurt his eyes and our eyes had met in the mirror, I could see that he had seen our son just as clearly.

We could between us, have made an attempt to jump from the car, or more riskily, but still possible attempted to over power or shoot Laurent and take control of it. But Carlisle's eyes confirmed what I already knew, we would both rather die, than risk doing something that could risk taking Alexander's already slim chance of survival.

"So…what's going to happen?" I growled finally. We were powering through the streets now. I knew I had to act before we began the climb up the winding roads, that wrapped around the mountain on which the main town of Volterra sat.

"His Lordship…had one or two cognac's too many last night after his dinner…wasn't fit enough to drive…so you took the wheel…like the good little wife that you are. But the roads leading to town can be trecherous…especially in a hire car you're not used to driving…and the problems with the newer models of BMW's have been well documented."

"First problem…I am perfectly sober…" Carlisle said tightly.

"You'll take your medicine like a good little boy…or I will make…the time to give you a little replay of what Mae and I got up to in Florida." Laurent snarled.

Carlisle's body, which was already tense, went rigid and I saw the fingers of the hand nearest to me, begin flexing in and out of a fist shape, but he remained composed enough to clarify.

"We'll be changing cars then I take it…"

"Detective Skills like that…you can see why they made you the boss…" Laurent sneered. "Yes…we will be changing cars…very…soon…if these stupid…tourists get out of the way…"Laurent hissed, thumping the horn heavily.

Okay Mae..focus… You've got a gun. I would have felt safer if Carlisle already had one, but we could change that. Snatching Georgia back tonight was no longer an option, neither was Carlisle and I being involved in the operation. Carlisle and I were going to have to deal with Laurent, then try and get to Jasper, Emmett and Rose, and come up with a way of snatching her before Stefano realized what had happened to Laurent and moved her. Stefano would have the town crawling with his men, not to mention the police in the area he had working for him.

There was another parade due to start in the main square at four. One more or the children than the adults, If we could get her from Stefano's, hide her in the crowd…maybe, just maybe Emmett and Rose could sneak her out and make it back here. As well as the train station, the tiny town also housed the small port where the twice daily ferry, and a small fleet of fishing boats were moored. Yves Marceau was a smuggler whom I had met a few years ago in Marseilles, I had saved him from having his throat slit during a knife fight in one of the dock side bars there and he owed me a favour, which I had called in. His vessel the New Moon had pulled into Voletera harbor, for emergency repairs. It would be there until 6.30 pm tonight, the latest Yves could wait before the tide turned against him.

If Rose, Emmett and Georgia could get to Yves boat, they would have a chance. It would mean more travelling compared to the original plan, but I knew Rose had the necessary field skills, and I knew that Emmett would protect both Rose and Georgia with his life.

I almost fell off the back seat, such was the ferocity with which Laurent swung the car of the main thorough fair, and down a narrow little side street, which as my eyes became accustomed to the sudden gloom, after the bright sunshine, I realized was a the alleyway between two large stone houses. After a few meter's, the alley opened out into a small courtyard which was overlooked by another stone house, and which had another narrow alley leading off it. Sitting in the centre of the courtyard, was a BMW complete with hire car plates and stickers on the window.

There was convieniently, no one around. But that still did not stop me worrying about the reaction the sound of gunshots, which would echo like an explosion in the confined space would bring.

"Your chariot awaits…M'lady…" Laurent said as he yanked me from the back of the Lexus and began dragging me towards the BMW.

My poor Carlisle was almost beside himself with anger, fear and a desire to rip Laurent apart, but I prayed he could see the silent plea for him to hang on a little longer.

Killing Laurent in the car would hopefully, muffle the sounds of gunshots and give us a little extra time.

"Just out of curiousity…what is the going rate for a forged forensic report these days? I mean…how else will you get round the fact that your DNA will be in the car?" Carlisle ground out.

"Not as much as you might think…not in the current economic climate anyway…" Laurent chuckled humourlessly, as he slammed my door closed and quickly positioned himself in the drivers seat.

What happened next was a bit of blur. I had had the gun in my hand ready to end Laurent with two bullets, gangland execution style, but I didn't get the chance.

"We're running behind…so if you wouldn't mind your Lordship…" Laurent had said, handing Carlisle a large bottle of Vodka.

"I don't mind…in the slightest…" Carlisle had replied lowly, before smashing the bottle over Laurent's head. There had been a struggle, Laurent was after all a very skilled fighter, there had been a lot of blood, especially when Carlisle had plunged the jagged and deadly broken neck of the bottle into Laurent's throat…but those images were fleeting, compared to the image of Carlisle's face. In that moment, my Carlisle, my loving, compassionate, kind, wonderful husband was an animal. An animal, fighting savagely to defend and protect his mate, his offspring.

The image and the feelings of paralyzing fear and hatred I felt as I watched this vicious fight, which felt like it took forever, but actually probably only lasted for about two or three minutes, would I know haunt me for the rest of my life.

Was I scared of Carlisle? Not in the slightest, I was scared that Carlisle would be hurt or worse…taken from me…taken from our son. And my hatred was not bourne from what he was doing. I valued all human life, and suffered many long and sleepless nights agonizing over my decision to end one. But when it came to killing someone like Laurent, a man…no calling him a man, was an insult to good..kind…decent men like Carlisle, who devoted their lives to protecting the weak and the innocent…I would lose no sleep. But I knew that Carlisle would, when the furious haze lifted.

"Carlisle…Carlisle…look, at me darling…Carlisle…look at me sweetheart please…" I said firmly. Laurent's now dead, and blood soaked body was lying at a grotesque angle in the gap between the front seats. Carlisle's eyes snapped to me.

"He…he hurt you Mae…he hurt you…he wanted to hurt you..and Alexander…I couldn't…I couldn't let him hurt you…not again…I'm sorry…" Carlisle babbled, shaking his head as if to clear it

"But you stopped him Carlisle…you stopped him baby…" I said reaching forward and gripping his face firmly between my hands, making him look at me. "And now…we…we have to stop Stefano from hurting Georgia…from hurting Jasper…Emmett…Rose…we do that…then you, me and Alexander…we can go home baby…we can go home…" I said. Carlisle's brow furrowed, as he tried to absorb my words into his confused mind. "But I can't do this alone Carlisle…I need…you have to help me Carlisle…please…I need DCS Carlisle Cullen…focused…please…" I insisted. My voice rough with emotion.

He was coming back. I could see the control returning, but I could also see the horror. I moved with a speed I didn't know I possessed, round to Carlisle's door. And with a strength, fuelled by adrenaline, fear and my ever present, overwhelming need to protect the man infront of me, with every part of me, I half yanked Carlisle from the car. He went to look back at Laurent, but I turned his face to mine roughly.

As I looked into those beautiful, fathomless blue pools I loved so much, I felt my heart break a little.

Carlisle had never taken a life before.

He had been in some vicious fights, inflicted some serious harm. But my wonderful, kind, compassionate, loving husband had never killed someone before.

"Please help me Carlisle…help me protect Georgia…our team…help me protect Alexander…" I said, moving one of his hands and placing it over my stomach, but never moving my eyes from his. A thousand different emotions, flickered across his face..but finally, I saw DCS Cullen come back to me…not before he had pulled me tightly against him.

"Always…with everything…I have…I love you…I love you both…so very much…" he growled roughly into my hair, where his face was momentarily buried.

"I know…we know…" I choked out against his chest. I wanted to stay here in his arms, I wanted to hold him…try and begin healing the soul deep wound he had just sustained. But there was no time.

Whilst Carlisle changed into a T-shirt, he took from a washing line hanging nearby. Pegging more than enough to cover the cost of the shirt in its place, his jacket and shirt were a bloody mess I retrieved my phone and placed a call to

"Mae…Mae…is that you?"

"Do yourself a favour Marcus, shut your mouth and fucking listen…we are blown to fucking kingdom come…"

"I…"he stammered

"You will make contact with Mocking bird…by phone, text, tweet…fucking smoke signal, I don't give a shit. You will tell her, that she has to bring to bring Georgia to a rendezvous point I will give you…when we can work out how to fix your fucking mess…" I hissed.

Mocking bird was the cover name we had given Lucia, our contact in Stefano's employ. I could hear muttering and then

"Hey Partner…you had us worried there for awhile…" Jasper drawled in that calm laid back way he had that I so loved, and so needed right now.

"Things got a bit rough…but it was nothing we couldn't handle…"I chuckled humourlessly as Carlisle approached me.

"Never doubted it for a second…" Jasper said lightly, "But just out of curiousity…what did happen to your welcome committee…"? his voice was now low and tense.

"Well you know that ugly scar I have on my back…"

I heard Jasper draw in a sharp intake of breath, he knew that it was an occupational hazard, but the friend, the man in him had hated it when he had first seen it.

"Well, our welcoming committee, was the man responsible for giving it to me…and…see…he made the…fatal…mistake of…revealing that fact to…"

"Shit…is he okay? Sir Thomas I mean…" Jasper hissed all pretence of calm now gone.

Carlisle was now standing beside me…or rather DCS Carlisle Cullen was now standing beside me, I could see that Carlisle had as I asked, become the cool, calm professional that I needed him to be. His body was tense, ready to spring, his eyes constantly moving, searching for any threat.

"He will be…I'll make damn sure of it"I said quietly, but Carlisle must have heard me, because his head snapped round to look at me, there was the strength, professionalism and love that I expected, but there was also a vulnerability and what I could only describe as gratitude that tore at my heart as he took in my words.

"Okay…there is a church…on the far left, side of the town square…St Magdelena's…you have to go down a little side street…it's at the end…behind a wrought iron gate…I can be there in ten minutes…" Jasper said, his tone brisk and business like once more, helping me focus.

"We'll need…" I began, but stopped to look at Carlisle, my mind had been so full of what I was going to have to do with Laurent, I hadn't followed or timed the route as closely as I should have. Also Carlisle had spent the last few days, poring over maps…tourist and more detailed, of Volterra and the surrounding area.

"We'll need forty five minutes to an hour…depending on the traffic…" Carlisle replied.

"So…plan B…"?

"We need to meet…all of us…can you get hold of Rose and Em…I know it's risky…but…"

"We have no fucking choice…" Jasper growled darkly. It took a lot for Jasper to lose his temper, but when he did, it could be a truly terrifying sight to behold.

"Do not let _him_, out of your sight J please. He has to make contact with Mockingbird…but watch him…and make sure he comes with you…"

"Don't worry darlin…Marcus and I have come to an understanding. He does exactly what I fucking say, when I say it…or I'll give in to Em's pleading and lock the two of 'em in a room for five minutes…that should be more than enough time for the seriously pissed off grizzly bear that's stalking round the Voltera forest at this moment, to deal with…that…" Jasper sneered. I could almost see the look of disgust and distain he was giving Marcus.

Oh Fuck…A pissed off and angry Emmett was not a good thing. His anger and emotion touched my heart…but it could be volatile, and I needed him to be focused and ready at a moments' notice.

"Oh..we'll both need some clothes…touristy stuff..jeans…button downs..stuff we can move in…I'm a size…"

"I know what size you are…" Jasper chuckled darkly. "Remember who I live with…" he said in answer to my obvious, but unasked question. "And baring that in mind…please be careful…because Stefano and his goons will have nothing on her…if you don't come home safe…"

"We'll need a car…" Carlisle said as I ended my call to Jasper.

I looked towards the Lexus. Carlisle looked at it for a minute before frowning and shaking his head.

"The checkpoint guards would know the number plates."

"Shit…I forgot…" I hissed as I yanked off the jacket of my suit, which had been made un wearable when Carlisle had hugged me. The main entrance to Voltera, was through a check point.

"We shall have to…commandeer one…" Carlisle said, a cold smile twitching his lips. It was totally the wrong time, but I couldn't the shudder of desire that ripped through me as I took in Carlisle at that moment. He had used a standpipe in the corner of what was the communal yard for people in the surrounding buildings, to try and wash away some of Laurent's blood. Such had been the spray, he had been forced to dunk his head under the tap and his wet hair was now swept back from his face, and the black T's shirt he had 'borrowed" was damp and clinging to his chest. But it was face…his eyes…there was something primal..animalistic…

"Shall we my love?" he said smoothly holding out his hand to me.

"Okay…you will so tell me, where you learnt to boost cars…and to boost them so quickly and smoothly…?" I asked with a soft chuckle, when Carlisle and I were sat in an Audi, that Carlisle had taken without problem, from the poorly guarded hire car centre in the town.

A short bark of laughter escaped Carlisle.

"As you wish my love…but I think…no scratch that…I know that it's a story, for when we are…at home…" Carlisle said lowly, his head snapping between me and then the imposing sight of Volterra, which loomed large over us, as we navigated the dangerous mountain roads.

"We will get home Carlisle...all of us…" I said quietly. Carlisle's eyes snapped back to me once more, and fell to my stomach.

"Oh…I know that Mae…because…as Laurent found out…I will take down…anyone…who tries to stop us…"

**CARLISLE POV**

I groaned deeply as the hot water began working its magic, loosening and soothing my painfully tense and aching muscles. Leaning forward, I rested my hands on the cool tile of the shower and hung my head, letting the water cascade over my head and down my back. I had a horrible feeling however, that the water cascading over my face and down my cheeks, would be made up more of the salt water from my tears than the water from a shower head. I was also, seemingly unable to stop the thankfully silent, but violent shuddering sobs that were ripping through my body. So I stopped trying and gave myself over to my confused and tortured emotions.

It was not strangely, my subconscious reliving those seemingly endless few minutes when Laurent and I had literally fought to the death, or the blood that I seemed unable to wash away, that had woken me in a cold sweat, but thankfully no longer screaming.

It was in fact, the image of watching Mae disappear into the thick swirling smoke, created by the smoke bomb she had thrown, and hearing the erratic gun shots fired by Stefano's men and the police as they tried to keep hold of Jasper, Rose and little Georgia that broke most frequently and violently into my sleep.

_Our cover had been well and truly blown deliberately or not by Marcus. Who the very second I returned to London, I would make pay for his stupidity, arrogance and, whatever it was that Mae had discovered about him, that had made her turn so violently against him. She was a sickened by his actions and the thought of the consequences they could bring of course…but there was something else…something deeper, that I would find out. Why else would my clever, brave as a lion wife have had to make separate contingency plans from the two plans out team had in place? Not that at this moment, I wasn't thanking god for granting her the presense of mind to arrange an alternative escape route for Georgia by fishing boat, and for us by the last "milk train" that left Voltera every evening at nine pm, passing through several small towns, one of which contained a small Italian Air Force base, where she had used one of her many contacts to arrange for us to hitch a lift that would take us home to England. _

_Mae had told me of her plans as we had made our way to the meeting in the church with Jasper, Emmett and Rose. _

"_So…when are you going to split up?" Jasper had asked._

_I couldn't help the slight smile that had twitched my lips. Jasper knew me, knew my professional mind better than I did, as well he might considering I had learnt many of my skills from him. Even as a child, he had been blessed with a quick ,analytical almost military style mind that had proven itself to be invaluable over the many years we had worked together. I had glanced back over my shoulder at Mae, who in an attempt to buy us a little more hiding time in the church, was engaging the old priest in conversation in her surprisingly not bad Italian._

"_Soon…"_

"_What…why?…" Emmett had begun, looking horrified._

"_Think about it Em, Stefano will have the town crawling with his own men and police as soon as he realizes what happened to Laurent…they will be looking for them as a couple…apart…they have more chance of staying hidden…making the train…" Jasper had said tightly, his eyes belying the confidence in his voice. _

"_But…I'm going to try and leave it as long as possible…" I sighed as we emerged from the church, into the small gloomy courtyard._

"_She's pregnant…" I said in answer to the unasked, but glaringly obvious question on their faces._

_Jasper had begun talking, but my attention had been caught by Emmett, who had tried to suppress what sounded like a strange half growl, half sob, before walking away from us a little, raising the camera he had slung round his neck to his eye, and pointing and shooting almost violently at the surrounding area._

_Mae would tell me later, that she and Emmett had talked a lot about what had happened to our first baby, and her hopes and fears she had for any other children we may be blessed with, when Emmett had been the one tasked with babysitting her during her temporary blindness. The big man's open, honest and gentle soul, allowing the tortured_ _and confused thoughts in her mind to find their voice easier than with anyone else apart from me. _

"_But…what…what if…something happens…she doesn't make the train…" Emmett had growled after taking a moment to compose himself and scare the living daylights out of a little old local woman who had almost fallen in her hurry to escape the 'giant' as she called him._

"_Then Jasper gets promoted, you get my record collection and car… and Danielle will be able to go to the University of her choice without worrying about the cost, and have enough over for a new wardrobe._

_Emmett opened his mouth to speak, whilst Jasper had sighed sadly._

"_Em…she…they…they are my life…I won't…couldn't leave without her…"I had said roughly._

"_And if you don't make it…?"_

"_Em…I'm hurt…you've lost faith in us…" Mae had said quietly, as she emerged from the church and came to stand by our little group._

"_Never…I..just…the baby…" Emmett stammered._

"_Emmett…do you remember that documentary on grizzly bears you insisted on making me watch? Well you know that grizzly Mamma bear that literally picked up that hunter and threw him away from her baby?"_

_Emmett had nodded._

"_Well, she aint got nothing…on Mamma and Pappa Bear Cullen…" Mae had growled lowly._

_I had vowed there and then, to make sure I told our son and daughter every damn day, what an amazingly, beautiful, loving and brave woman their mother truly was. After I had finished telling her the same things…plus just how much I loved her._

"_I thought you didn't want to risk using Marcus' weapons contact…" I said a little later. We had stayed in the church as long as we dared, and then Mae had begun leading us through the maze of back streets. We had had to double back on three separate occasions, as Laurent's body had obviously been found, and the town was crawling with police and Stefano's men._

"_I don't…but we don't have a choice. We gave our spare ammo clips to Em and Jazz. I know you have Laurent's gun…but I've never liked that model, too prone to jamming…and I am not letting you out of my sight, without knowing you have some kind of reliable weapon on you…" she had said fiercely."I also want to pick up some spare ammo…please god we might not need it…but…"_

"_You know…if there was any other way…I would never leave you…" I had said. There had been no time for her to do more than just squeeze my hand and give me a soft smile, which told me my answer louder and clearer than any words. We had arrived at a large stone house that stood apart from the others in the crowded street. The large wooden door was covered by CCTV camera's_

"_Now…Carlisle…he is going to wind you up…we have a history…" Mae had said quietly. _

_My head had snapped round. Mae was a stunningly beautiful inside and out, the nature of our job meant that relationships with colleagues were common, expected, seven years was a long time… but…_

"_I was in a bad place…after Laurent…what happened in Florida…he…he was just back from some freaking hell hole…had nightmares just as bad as my own…He was working for Marcus at the time… giving physical therapy…I mean he was in charge of…" Mae had babbled nervously after we had left the house half an hour later, with extra ammo, light weight Kevlar vests…and a few other things that Mae had decided were essential._

_I had pulled Mae into the cover of a doorway and crashed my lips against hers, trying desperately to pour all my love and strength into that one brief kiss. Mae had whimpered softly wrapping her arms tightly around my neck, before kissing me back with an intensity and passion that had literally taken my breath away. We had stood in the doorway for a long moment after we had been forced to break for air, our foreheads pressed together, eyes locked on one_ _another's faces._ _I had held her face in my hands, my thumbs tracing patterns across her cheek._

"_That was then baby…we…weren't…we were both hurting…but this…this is now...Always Mae…love only you…always…" I had panted, my hands running a little roughly through her hair. _

"_Forever…Carlisle…always and forever…only you…" she had replied, placing her fingers over my lips briefly, before taking a deep breath to compose herself and stepping out of the doorway._

"_Now your Lordship…shall we go play proud parents to our other children…as they help us show Stefano freaking Volturi, what a big mistake he made, when he decided to take Cullen and Mae on… " she had chuckled softly, holding out a hand for me, as I had done her earlier._

_But as we slipped into the crowded and bustling square, our smiles quickly faded. All we could do for what had felt like the longest moment, was watch in horror, as an unaware Jasper and Georgia were surrounded. _

_Lucia, fuelled by hatred, the need to avenge her brother..and just plain human goodness, had done as we had bid and snuck Georgia from where she was being held in the part of the castle, to where Jasper was waiting in the forest._

_I had arranged with the local police chief, who actually turned out to be honest, to send me the bill for Lucia's body…if… it was ever found_

_Jasper had managed to get a terrified , but determined Georgia into the town. During our very brief meeting with Jasper Rose and Emmett in the beautiful St Magdelana's church, we had arranged for Rose and to be in the town square in time for the_ _children's festival that Mae had rightly decided would be the best source of cover for us to try, and hide Georgia in. Emmett would be waiting nearby, his foot firmly on the excelerator, ready to a move at a moment's notice. But Voltera was a town that lived in fear of Stefano and Irina, who could give you your life, your home, your job, your very exsistence with one hand, and then snatch it away and crush it violently and painfully with the other. _

_And sadly, it seemed the police lived in as much fear as the ordinary citizens. There was no other reason to explain why, three officers, who had obviously been called and furnished with a picture of Georgia by Stefano, and tipped off by a frightened stall holder, began moving in an almost text book, police academy style towards the stall where Jasper, Rose, and Georgia were standing. Reinforced by four expensively suited thugs, wearing blazers with Stefano's personal crest on the chest pocket and guns, they were not afraid to use beneath._

_Mae and I…we weren't even meant to be in the square. But, our ever present desire to protect our team, our friends, an innocent child, had led us to the shadows of the large clock tower. Mae was standing between my legs, her back firmly pressed against my chest. My arms were wrapped tightly around her, my head was resting ontop of hers. Both our breathing was slightly ragged and desperate, as we attempted to draw as much of the strength we always gained from the touch and scent of each other deep within ourselves. It wou_ld have _after all, had to fortify us over the following five agonizing hours when we would have been separated. Scurrying through side streets, alleyways and shadows like the hunted animals which we were. Stefano had learnt that were deadly, cunning animals, but he had the distinct advantage of being in his own little jungle, surrounded by weaker and submissive animals, who were prepared to fight whatever, whoever they had to, too stay alive and protect themselves against Stefano's rage. _

_Mae had tensed in my arms, before spinning round to face me. She had grabbed my chin and yanked it down roughly so she could look me in the eyes._

"_Two shots should do it…" _

_She had, like so often in the past, seemed to have read my mind. The square was packed with innocent tourists and what seemed like hundred's of children. We couldn't, wouldn't risk starting a fire fight to try and distract the police and Stefano's goons, the best we could do, was cause a diversion, create a panic, confusion by firing into the air._

"_I have an added little surprise…" she had said, pulling out what looked like a hand grenade from the pocket of the leather jacket that Jasper had bought for her to change into at the church._

_Despite the situation, she had still managed to roll her eyes at me in the most adorable way as she had taken in my shocked expression._

"_It's smoke Carlisle…Alexander and I will be waiting for you on the train…nine o/clock…please…please don't be late…" she had said, her voice and her fierce professional face cracking on those final words. And then, with one last quick, rough kiss, Mae had been gone, racing across the square towards Jasper, Rose and Georgia. I had counted out a certain period like she asked, before firing twice into the air…just as she had thrown the smoke bomb. _

_As we had hoped the combination had caused combination and panic. It had also, caused the police and Stefano's men to begin firing wildly, blindly, after Jasper and Rose who had swept up the terrified Georgia between them and literally according to Jasper, flown towards the city gates. _

_I had breathed a genuine sigh of relief, and shed a few silent tears when Georgia had been reunited with Peter, Embry and her mother two days ago. But my relief at seeing the young girl, and the rest of my team back home safely, could not even begin to come close to the all consuming, heart pounding, head spinning relief I had felt when after five torturously long hours, I had been reunited with Mae at the train station. _

_I had made it with about a minute to spare and not without incident. I had been forced to shoot at, and injure rather than kill, three more of Stefano's men who had come across me as I had attempted to ghost my way through the narrow dark back streets. _

_Mae had been standing by the door to a carriage looking around frantically for me. I had tried to call out as I threaded my way through the people on the platform, but the noise from the people and even the animals that were being loaded onto the train had smothered my voice in the large area._

_Almost insane with frustration and fear, I had stopped being so polite and literally barged my way through, almost knocking Mae over as a surge of people behind me, who were heading back to one of the small villages the train stopped at, caused me to stumble._

_I would never forget her face. Her anger had given way to shock and surprise, before the most heartbreaking look of relief and love had settled in eyes which were swollen and puffy from crying. She hadn't spoken, she had simply leapt into my arms, wrapping her arms and legs around me in an almost vice like grip, buried her face in my neck and begun to sob pitifully._

I couldn't stop the breath catching in my throat when dry and redressed for bed I stepped back into the bedroom and saw my Mae, bathed in the pale early morning sunlight that was peeking in through the blinds, fast asleep in our bed, in our home. Stefano would always be a threat in terms of what he could get do criminally, but he knew that he could not touch Mae or I personally without drawing attention to himself and what he had done. So we were, to all intense and purposes safe. Cullen and Mae had completed another case.

But…as I climbed back into bed, propping my head on my elbow as I lay on my side to just look at her, I did not see Agent Mae Marshall Cullen, whose cool professionalism had helped safe Georgia and our team. I saw Mrs Mae Cullen, my wife who was, despite doctor's reassurances worrying about the health of the baby she was carrying, even in her sleep. I reached over and gently tried to smooth away the worried crease that was sitting between her brows with a soft kiss.

"Carlisle…" she mumbled.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to wake you…"

"You had another dream…"

"It was nothing…please go back to sleep…you're exhausted…" I pleaded.

"And you're not…baby…you're so tired…"she said observing me sleepily.

"Maybe I'll string up a hammock like the one from Peter and Charlotte's island in here after all…you were always complaining that I could barely keep my eyes open the minute I got into it." I chuckled softly, tucking her hair behind her ears, before gently stroking her cheek.

"Or…we could…just go back to the Island."


	31. Chapter 31

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT.**

**AN: There are a lot of reasons for the delay to this chapter. Including the fact that someone tried and thankfully failed to plagurize the first 10 chaps. All I can say is, I am doing everything I can not to let you, my amazing readers down, but RL is very difficult at the moment. As always, I hope you find something to like here. Yes, this chap is angsty, but as you saw in end of last chap, Carlisle was having trouble dealing with things. This is the worst of his angst though, what comes next, will be lighter and more baby/home related. I needed to break Carlisle down a bit, so that the sequel, which is where you will see baby Alexander born works. You will also see the trip to the Island in the sequel. For as much as they wanted to, they wouldn't have been able to just take off. Once again all I can say is THANKYOU ALL SO MUCH for your continued support and I hope you can stick around for the TWITTER NAME Storyteller_Sal.**

**Oh yes, Marcus does get dealt with here. But you don't actually see him. If you really feel like you want to see it in more detail, I could try and maybe write an outtake.**

**CARLISLE POV Almost three months later**

"Does he ever call you anything whilst he's…whilst you're together"?

"What? Who the fuck is this?" the young girl who sickeningly did look like a younger, if slightly more careworn version of Mae demanded in fright as I burst through the door of her flat, which she had failed to close properly.

"It's alright Jasmine…this is DCS Cullen…who should be waiting outside…" Jasper hissed as he glared at me. I had promised to wait in the car, whilst Jasper spoke to Jasmine and put the first part of his plan to rid us all of Marcus once and for all in action. But the images that had been running through my head in glorious High Definition since Darnell Mitchell "CEO" of one of the largest high class escort agencies in London, had cornered Jasper and I after a poker night at Danny's Gym last week, demanding the rest of the fee Mae had withheld from one of his girls…a girl who bore more than just a passing resemblance to Mae, when she had found her in Marcus' bed. Had caused me to empty the meager contents of my stomach into some nearby bushes for the second time today and propelled me, without much conscious thought out of the car and through the door.

"It depends…on how much he's had to drink…or smoke…" Jasmine huffed. Jasper had moved quickly to get her a drink from the well stocked drinks cabinet she had in the corner of the room. He was now sitting by her side on the sofa playing good cop to my ever so slightly deranged cop.

"Well say it had been a proper party…does he call you anything..?" I demanded again.

"No…he doesn't call me anything, but he likes it rough…cuffs…biting…" Jasmine began, her face screwed up as she thought back. " and he does keep saying, that he's better…more of a man…is what I really need, what I really want…"

I was vaguely aware of hearing Jasper calling my name as I turned back towards the door, but my throbbing head was now focusing on locating Marcus and what I was going to do him. I was owed some pretty big favours by some very nasty people, disposing of the body wouldn't be too much of a problem. And if James Bond…and Mae were to be believed…but how much of what Mae said could I truly believe, she had known about this for three months now and not said a word? my second kill would be a lot easier than my first.

For some strange reason, Jasmine's humourless laugh and sneering tone, which had lost the polished edge the more upset she became cut through the red mist that had fallen over me.

" So she's your wife? Daniel said she was a copper's wife…although she isn't like any copper's wife that I've ever met, especially the high level ones, and I've met a few. They're usually mousey little things, or over made up saddo's trying to cling to their youth. She…"

Is my wife. My Mae…the woman I don't just love, but adore, worship…need so badly that even the thought of being separated from her causes me physical pain. She is the mother to be of my son…our son…who she has done everything in her power to protect…and that includes keeping something as sick and stressful as this, to herself to…as Jasper put it when I demanded of him why the hell Mae hadn't told me herself; "_Make sure that Cullen Jnr's first memories of his Daddy aren't in a prison visiting room…"_

"Well, she is pretty for her age..but…if you ever fancy a good time with a younger…more…adventurous model, you know where to come…don't you." the young prostitute purred, her over made up face breaking into an ugly smirk.

I had my hand on the door handle ready to leave, but "Jasmine's" words stopped me in my tracks. Turning, I moved back into the room, and came to stand toe to toe with Jasmine who was now standing. She may have had Mae's looks, but she lacked her height and I loomed menacingly over her.

"Carlisle" Jasper said in a low, warning tone

The young girl was a little shocked by my action and I was sure the look of barely restrained fury I could feel on my face, but fear was a weakness that you could not afford to display in her profession, so she met my gaze and hurriedly rearranged her face back into the neutral, business like expression she had had a few minutes previously. And when I smiled, she smiled, I could physically see her tensed body begin to relax and her eyes lock with mine as I began to speak.

"Darlin…she possesses seduction skills and sexual ability that both you and… Mr Bourne can only dream about…"

I had laughed long and loud, when I had heard the name Marcus had been using to procure prostitutes…that bore more than a passing resemblance…to…my…wife. But as Jasper had pointed out, it had been weirdly appropriate, as just like Jason Bourne, Marcus was a desperate man, Whos mistakes and arrogance had almost got us all killed…a man who had to be stopped.

Volterra had been a complete fuck up from start to finish thanks to Marcus' stupidity, but a combination of friends in high places and animal cunning meant that he had emerged from the whole mess relatively unscathed, with talks of him promoted to desk job away from the field that would give him more power more money and more chance to…It could not be allowed to happen, so Jasper had decided to trade on thirty years of parental guilt, his mother's desperate desire to see her granddaughter whilst being seen at the Westminster Chapel and ask his father, the Senator, who just so happened to be a golf buddy and long term friend of the new Director of the CIA, for a favour. Photographs of a stoned Marcus in compromising positions with a prostitute, the flat of whom would be found to be clear of hard drugs, but full of carelessly disguarded top secret information during a raid, would end Marcus' career. A well respected Senator such as Senator Andrew Whitlock, discovering this information and loudly demanding answers would completely destroy him and any hopes he had for future security, lecturing or business work. But that was now no longer enough for me.

After reassuring Jasper I would meet him back at the station when I had taken a walk to clear my head, I pulled out my cell phone.

"Darnell…we need to talk…"

**ESME POV**

"You are a wonderful, kind, lovely…too polite for your own good, man Carlisle Cullen do you know that?" I chuckled as we emerged into the cool night. We had been out at a fundraiser Danny had thrown at the gym. He had been reluctant to attend, wanting instead to write an obscenely large cheque, but I had insisted, I thought it might help Carlisle relax and for a short time, especially after he had had a few drinks, it seemed I was right. He had even agreed when I was too tired to continue, to partner a few of the older ladies on the dance floor.

But as I reached for his hand and saw him recoil away from me, as if I'd been about to hit him, I knew the respite from the emotionally and worse physically, distant distracted, brooding mood that had not despite the impressive act he was trying to fool himself with as much as me, was over.

"Carlisle…all I want to do is hold your hand…" I said praying, that my voice would not betray the painful lump of unshed tears that was threatening to choke me.

"I'm really hot Mae…"he said lamely.

"You could have fooled me…from where I'm standing…you…you've never been so damn cold…" I half screamed. I could barely see so blinding where the tears that were streaming down my cheeks, but I began to run down the small side street.

"MAE! MAE WAIT!" Carlisle bellowed, the alcohol, the fresh air and now shock had left him confused for a minute.

"WHAT FOR CARLISLE? I CAN'T…I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE…" I screamed.

I drew a few curious glances from passer's by and I swore I could hear Alice, Jasper and even Emmett calling after me, but I didn't stop. We were meant to be planning for our future as a family, but we…or rather Carlisle was unable to emerge from the nightmares of the past that were haunting him whilst awake as well as asleep. Fuck you Stefano…Irina…but most of all Marcus…Fuck you all, I thought savagely. Carlisle and I had worked our notices and begun our sabbaticals. Tonight was supposed to be a chance for us to spend some time with our close friends before we took off for the month which we would be spending at the villa on Peter and Charlotte's Island, the place where we had been so happy, so peaceful..where we had planned the future we were now living…my hand automatically went to rest in it's new natural home, protectively over my…our oh so precious baby. Next month would then see Carlisle doing some guest lecturing at Hendon, the police training college, whilst I…began the thrilling task of building a home for us…our family, in our new home, the sale of which would be completed before we returned all being well. For the first time, Carlisle and I, would be able to experience a normal married life, no late nights, no early morning raids…we would have normalcy, routine and peace…something that we both so desperately needed. Carlisle especially

He was still so tired, physically and mentally…he hid it well, and we had been making progress, my Carlisle was slowly coming back to me. But then…

"_He knows Mae…" _Jasper had sighed that afternoon almost a month ago, when I had dragged him to the roof of the station and practically begged him to try and talk to Carlisle for me. To an outside observer Carlisle was being as attentive and loving towards me as he always was but, he wouldn't touch me. Even an accidental brush of hands would bring a look of sheer horror to his face for a fleeting moment and it was killing me. Forget pickles and ice cream, the only thing that this pregnant lady was craving with an almost painful intensity, was for her husband to hold her hand, to drop random, unexpected kisses on her head as he passed her on the sofa, to cuddle up behind her as she was doing the dishes…all the things he used to do…before…

"FUCK YOU MARCUS!" I screamed, lashing out with kicks and slaps to the rubbish bins I had almost run into as I raced along the now dark high street in search of a cab.

The darkness and fear were back in Carlisle's eyes…in his heart…and my own heart ached for him. I was desperate to get him away, to love him, to take care of him…to help him begin to heal the wound that taking him from me. And I would, I would do whatever it took to ease his pain…but how could I do that…when he couldn't bare to touch me. When he looked at me…made me feel…dirty…

"Tower Bridge…" I choked out to the taxi I managed to flag down.

"MAE! MAE! Are you here?" Carlisle almost screamed an hour later when he burst through the front door. His voice was desperate, frantic, but I didn't answer him. Instead I waited for him to come through the bedroom door, before swiping his legs from beneath him, a move made easier thanks to the element of surprise and the fact he was slightly drunk. Seconds after he landed on the floor with a grunt of genuine surprise and pain, I positioned myself astride his back and roughly cuffed his hand behind his back.

"Carlisle…please stop struggling…I don't want to hurt you anymore…" My tone was quiet and businesslike, but inside I was screaming.

"Mae..what the fuc…get off me…let me up…" Carlisle hissed. He was however, upon hearing the pleading tone of my voice, still on the floor.

"No.." I replied.

"Mae…" Carlisle growled warningly. "This isn't funny…let me up…Jesus…you could have hurt yourself…hurt the baby doing this…"

I had to bite down hard on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from screaming out in anguish.

"I've been doing this…protecting myself from potential threats for a long time Carlisle…" I stammered. Carlisle's still prone body became rigid beneath me as the true meaning of my words hit him.

"Do you…think I am a threat…to you…to the baby?" he stammered, his voice rough with emotion.

"You…you seem to think you are…" I whispered roughly, scrubbing my hand across my face to try and wipe away the tears that were streaming.

Damn pregnancy hormones.

"Mae let me up…"

"No…" I sobbed

"Mae! You're upset darling…please let me up, we can talk…I know we need to talk…let me hold you…" he pleaded.

"IS THIS WHAT I'VE NEEDED TO DO ALL THIS WEEKS, TO GET YOU TO HOLD ME, TO TOUCH ME…ACTUALLY LET YOU SEE…HEAR ME CRYING? Not wait until I was hiding in the shower, or in a damn store cupboard…at work…"

"MAE! STOP…FUCK THAT HURT!" Carlisle roared as he writhed and bucked in an attempt to try and avoid the heavy handed blows I was dishing out, to punctuate each word I had just said.

"GOOD!"I screamed tightening my grip on him. "Do you know how much it's fucking hurt me to see my husband pushing me away, recoiling at my touch…making every lame ass excuse he can think of, to avoid giving me more than a peck on the cheek, or a hug that you'd give an aunty you don't even like at Christmas!" I babbled, by tone shrill and almost incoherent, but I could no longer hold back the emotions I had been holding in for the last three long months.

"You've been ill…the morning sickness was awful…you said yourself that you felt like death warmed up…you pushed me away when I tried to help you remember…" Carlisle shot back.

Carlisle bless him, had despite looking like he was going to be violently ill himself in response to the sights and sounds he witnessed each morning in our bathroom, hovered over me, holding back my hair, rushing to bring me water, ginger tea, anything he could to try and look after me, until I had snapped at him quite viciously to just leave me suffer in peace. It was stupid, but there was a small part of me, that despite how ill and tired I felt, actually didn't mind the sickness…this was what pregnant women…properly pregnant women went through. My first pregnancy had been so brief and I had been oblivious until it was too late, I had had no time to notice and comprehend the slight sickness and tiredness I had had and put down to bad food and nerves, the little bit of weight gain and swollen and tender breasts I had panicked and cursed over. This time, I was desperate to feel, experience everything a pregnant woman was supposed to go through.

" I asked you to leave me alone whilst I had my head in the toilet…are you one of those men Carlisle…who stop finding their wives attractive when they're pregnant? I mean…I know I've gained a little weight…but you can't really see anything yet…not really…" I was being ridiculous and mean. I had seen love and pure lust in Carlisle's eyes the other morning when he watched me dressing.

"You have never looked more beautiful to me…you know that." he said quietly.

"I know what I do need…I need my husband, my Carlisle…more than I ever have…"

We had, had to bring our first ultra sound forward a week, as I had panicked and almost become hysterical when I started having stomach pains. It was nothing serious, just the baby "settling in" as the doctor had put it, stretching muscles that weren't expecting the intrusion. For that interminable hour, whilst the doctor had examined me and then given us the first sight and sound of our son…Carlisle had been my rock…never once letting go of my shaking hand, never once letting me lose faith.

A strangled sob escaped Carlisle and in a move that scared me, he raised his head and then banged it down on the floor with a groan of pain that had nothing to do with what he had just done.

"And I want…I need to be that more than anything…I do…Christ I really do Mae…but I can't…I'm not your Carlisle any more…" his words were almost incomprehensible he was sobbing so hard, but I heard everything I needed to hear.

I could barely see, so heavy where the tears streaming down my face, but I stood up and helped Carlisle into a sitting position with his back leaning against the end of the bed. His whole body was shaking with silent sobs. I crawled onto his lap, taking his face in my hands. My heart was breaking as I looked into his exhausted..haunted face.

"My poor…darling…Carlisle…"

With gentle but firm hands, I removed his wallet from his left pocket. Opening it, I found what I was looking for…the ultra sound picture. I held it up to his face.

"Tell Alexander…your son…that you are no longer the man who loved him…loved me so much, you fought an animal, and that is what Laurent is…to the death to protect him…to protect me." I sighed.

"Mae…please…" Carlisle groaned.

"TELL HIM…tell him that you are no longer the man who risked the wrath of two Governments…that you risked prison…to do what they could not, would not do to protect fellow officers…fellow innocents from Marcus' arrogance and stupidity…Tell Alexander…that you are no longer the man who loves…who respects me with such a ferocity…"

"I killed a man in cold blood Mae. My hands took another person's life. And Marcus…Jasper had a plan to get rid of him…which worked…but it wasn't enough for me…I wanted…I needed to hurt him…I wanted to kill him."

"But you didn't…"

" No, I agreed to Jasper destroying his career…and then I hit him…he was on the ground and I KEPT hitting him…and then…I let Darnell Mitchell's men…criminals…dump him in a forest in Scotland…with no phone…no money…" Carlisle rasped

"Why?"

"What? What do you mean why? He almost got us all killed…he put you…Alexander in danger…he…had vile…sick fantasies about..touching you…hurting you…taking you from me…" Carlisle growled.

"And if you had arrested someone for doing the same…"

" A good lawyer could get them off on a provocation charge…balance of the mind disturbed due to extreme provocation…when you're loved ones…your wife, your child are threatened…you do whatever it takes…" he said matter of factly. It took a long moment for what him to actually hear what he had just said, but when he did.

"But I am a copper…one of the good guys…okay…I can just about deal with Laurent…but Marcus…someone who is supposed to be on my side…I'm…" he began to stammer.

"You are a man Carlisle…a good, kind, loving man…a wonderful husband…and you will be such an amazing father…but you are just a man Carlisle with faults and floors and a limit to how much you can take without snapping" I whispered.

"I love you… both….so much it scares me at times. You and Alexander…you are everything to me…my world…" he babbled

'And I love you…he loves you… so much my darling…wonderful…man…" I rasped as I peppered his swollen wet face with kisses. Carlisle's answering whimper threatened to break my already pounding heart.

"I've been so scared Mae…I've been so on edge… my temper so short, I was terrified that I could hurt you…hurt the baby…if I touched you…"

"It would never happen…"

"You don't know that…"

"I DO KNOW THAT…I KNOW YOU…MIND…" I raged, roughly tapping his head. "HEART" I rasped placing my hand over his pounding heart..I rasped. "And Soul…" I finished. "These hands…" I said pulling on his arms and realizing him from the cuffs that he hadn't realized I had unlocked. I caught them in my own and lifted them to my mouth, where I placed kissed to his palms.

"The only way these hands could ever hurt me my love is if you were to keep denying me, the feel of them on me…I miss you…I need you Carlisle. I need to feel your love for me in your touch…I know you're hurting Carlisle…believe me…I really do know…but please come back to me…come back to me…let me love you…let me help you…us against the world remember?" I sobbed resting my forehead against his.

The tender, but breathtaking kiss that Carlisle proceeded to give me by way of an answer, told me far better than any words, that he did indeed remember.


	32. Chapter 32

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN: Thankyou all so much for your continued support. It means a hell of a lot. Now this is just a little bit of much needed lemony fluff, to wish you all a wonderful Xmas. This isn't the end…they still have a house to move into, baby Danielle's christening to attend…a pregnancy to get through and baby Alexander to welcome. Oh..and there will be a new case…where you will see a very different side to Emmett. But that will…RL and the flu permitting happen in the sequel which will begin in the New year. I hope you can stick around…I couldn't wouldn't want to do it without you all.**

**The song Carlisle sings is called You're the Inspiration and is by a brilliant, if old band called Chicago.**

**Am on Twitter Storyteller_sal…drop by say hi…**

I couldn't hold back the deep contented sigh that escaped me as I stretched lazily in the soft, warm sand and turned my face towards the sun. There were no cell phones ringing, no pagers interrupting snatched moments of conversation, no colleagues asking for advice, no angry raised voices or anguished tears, from criminals…or us. All I could hear was the gentle sound of crystal clear waves lapping gently against the sand and the quiet chatter of tropical birds somewhere in the distance.

It was heaven. Complete with my very own sinful angel.

Rising up on my elbows, all I could do was watch overwhelmed by love and lust as Carlisle emerged from the sea and began walking towards me. His blonde hair bleached almost white by the sun, was slicked back against his head, allowing me to see his strong firm jaw piercing blue eyes and soft loving smile all the clearer. But despite my best efforts, by shielded eyes would not, could not, drag themselves away from his lean but muscular frame which was shimmering as the sunlight bounced off the water still clinging to his body…to the tight black swimming trunks that were clinging sinfully to his thighs.

"I love you Alice" I thought to myself with a small chuckle.

After the traumatic few months and exhaustingly emotional night Carlisle and I had had before we escaped here to the Island, I had been so desperate to get away, I had literally just shoved clothes for the two of us into a bag, not caring whether they were complete outfits or…_ "truly offensive monstrosities that are perfect for a colour blind fashion dinosaur like Emmett, but illegal or damn well should be, for a man like Carlisle to be seen in" _As Alice has described the board shorts that I had packed for Carlisle. Depositing a grumpy Danielle in my arms, telling me it would be "good practice" Alice had disappeared out the front door, only to return three hours later with two complete holiday wardrobes for us both, including the sinful trunks, perfectly packed in brand new luggage.

Dropping lightly onto the sand beside me, Carlisle lay back, flinging an arm up over his head and stretching out the other to cuddle me against his side and allow me to rest my head on his chest. The steady beat of his heart, was drowned out momentarily by a deep almost feline purr of pleasure echoing in his chest. I hadn't realized I was smiling, or that he could feel it against his skin until he spoke…

"What are you thinking about…that has you smiling like that?" he asked, his fingers lazily stroking my shoulder.

"You…it's been just a week, but already…you're different…" I said quietly.

"Mmm, I've only woken up in a cold sweat once you mean, instead of every damn night." he replied wryly.

" No, not just that…although, it is amazing to see what some proper sleep has done for you…for us both…" I mused. "I can see you…my Carlisle coming back to me…the way you act…the way you laugh…god, I've missed your laugh…even the way you feel is different…" I sighed resting my head on his chest and gazing into his face. "You're softer…not holding me at arm's length." I explained in answer to his unasked question. Since that night, when I had literally broken Carlisle down in an attempt to try and save him…save us, from himself, the protective, but cold and isolating glass wall he had placed between us, had cracked…and yesterday, whilst we had been watching a street fair on the mainland, finally shattered. Carlisle had barely let go of my hand in the week we had been either here on the Island and every night we slept our bodies entwined. But yesterday, Carlisle had grabbed me in public, pulled me close and unleashed one of his "knee trembler" kisses, that had left me needing to sit down for a good ten minutes afterwards. Whilst desperately trying not to embarrass us both by sobbing with relief and happiness.

"_It's not funny you know…making the pregnant lady cry…in public…" I had pouted, as I had dived into his pocket for his handkerchief._

"_I'm sorry sweetheart…truly…" he said with a small sad smile. His unspoken words telling me again, that he was sorry for so much more. _

"_You can make it up to me…" I said suddenly._

_Carlisle had looked over the bridge of his aviator shades, which had slipped down his nose as he purused the menu of the small café we were sitting outside. A slightly worried look flashing in his eyes as he heard my teasing tone._

"_Mae…are you sure? You must be tired love…we've been walking for ages" Carlisle had said, his tone full of genuine concern, but also a teasing little whine of trying to talk his way, half heartedly, out of what was to come. And he was right, I was tired. For someone like me, who was used to being in control of a fit body, the overwhelming bursts of tiredness that would strike me since I became pregnant was a real shock. But we had both spent the first seventy two hours on the Island, sleeping and eating… things both desperately need to do. And I had not, overtaxed myself since. His kiss had awoken the need in me to be held in my Carlisle's arms, really held, and despite his concerns and grumbles, the look on his face and the whispered "I love you" he had breathed in my ear as he had wrapped his arms around me and lead me out onto the dance floor, told me he needed it just as much._

_I had noticed the dance floor being constructed a few hours previously when we had arrived in the town, but as the sky faded from a clear blue, to an inky darkness punctuated by twinkling lights strung over head, it was a perfect place. The band was playing a mix of traditional Portugese , Spanish and American songs, including one that I vaguely recognized the tune to…and which Carlisle insisted was "the perfect song"_

"_My Portugese is rusty to say the least…" I laughed._

" _Mine's pretty good…" Carlisle crooned, a soft smile playing on his lips as he gazed into my eyes…letting me see the first real sign I had seen in what felt like forever, of my Carlisle._

" _You know our love was meant to be…the kind of love to last forever…and I want you here with me…from tonight until the end of time…You should know, everywhere I go… you're always on my mind…in my heart…in my soul…" Carlisle crooned lowly, his voice like velvet in the darkness. His eyes had been shining with tears like my own, never left my face as we swayed gently, oblivious to everything but each other and the words of the song._

" _You're the meaning in my life, you're the inspiration…you bring feeling to my life…wanna have you near me..…want you to hear me say it…No one…needs you more than I, need you…" _

"I promised you I would do whatever it takes, to come back…be your Carlisle again…or as much of him as I can be…be the man you need, the man who loves…adores you…" Carlisle rasped roughly as he sat up and turned on his side to face me, stealing me back from the incredible memory I had of the previous night, of being held in Carlisle's arms, my head resting on his shoulder, my hand over his strong, slowly healing heart as he crooned the song words in my ear over and over on the dance floor, then later wrapped in each other's arms in bed. He ran his free hand through my still damp hair, before gently caressing my cheek. I could barely contain the whimper of pleasure I felt.

"I know you did my darling…and I am so, so proud of you…" I replied leaning into his touch. "It just feels so good to be able to hold you…feel you again…not have you recoil from me…I've missed your touch so damn much…your smell…" I did not get to finish my sentence.

"You're taste… the taste of your lips…" Carlisle breathed, tangling his hand in my hair and holding my face to his as he nipped, sucked and stroked my lips with his own. The moan that escaped me was truly wanton as he deepened the kiss, stroking, teasing, tasting me, but I didn't care. My body was alive and on fire with an almost overwhelming need. I had experienced small surges of pregnancy hormones, mostly the ones that reduced me to a sobbing wreck. This was the first real experience of the ones Alice had said "_would almost make the swollen ankles, sickness and agony worth it"._ My body, my arms, seemed to move without my conscious thought to wrap around his neck as he wrapped his own arms protectively, almost possessively around me as he lay me back against the sand. "Your skin…" I could barely catch my breath such was the intensity of feeling as Carlisle's dangerous, hot mouth moved down my neck laying hot, suckling open mouthed kisses.

"I know Mae…God I know…I've missed you too…soo much…" Carlisle groaned against my pulse point. "Touching you…feeling you..touch me…with no fear, with just love…"

"And more than a little lust…" I chuckled softly. We had to try and keep moving away from the darkness of the past. I allowed my wandering hands to stop and squeeze his ass, eliciting a hiss of pleasure from him that only seemed to inflame me more. We had not as yet reconnected in the way we both desperately needed to. We had not made love…but I was hoping, praying that, that was about to change…here in the warmth of the sunlight, we were going to push away another demon of the dark.

"The feeling…is more…than mutual…my beautiful…brave…loving…sexy as hell wife…" Carlisle chuckled in return against my neck. I didn't know if he knew, that he was moving so that his body was now between my legs and his hips were rolling against me in a way that was almost painful in the intensity of the pleasure it was causing me. And I didn't care

"Carlisle…please…please…touch me…" I moaned, my tone sounding pathetically pleading even to me, but I was past caring. "Love me Carlisle…let me…our love…help us…help you heal…" I said my body arching towards him.

" I want too…I need too…god I need you…but I'm still scared Mae…"

"No more fear darling" I said roughly, grabbing his face between my hands "no more…you can't…won't hurt me…or your son…" I said as I peppered his face with kisses.

"Never…would rather die…" Carlisle moaned as his hands roamed over my body.

"No one is going to die…we…all of us my darling…we're going to live…our life…the life we have waited for…the life we deserve…together…" I rasped, my voice trailing off as I was overwhelmed once more by emotion…by love, for my wonderful, good, brave, but still so fragile husband. It was my turn, to crash my lips to Carlisle's and claim his mouth in a kiss that I hoped, would show him both how much I loved him, but also how much I desperately needed and wanted him. And whilst I was confident the kiss did help, I think it was the fact that I managed to roll us and ended up straddling him, that really got the point across.

"And to think I've been wasting so much time…you look, you feel…even more beautiful…even more…"

"Carlisle…Carlisle…darling…" I said only half laughing as I saw his face, which was slightly slack jawed. It was his eyes that caught my attention most. They were hooded and almost black with…lust as he drank in my body…my breasts, which he could now see clearly as I had removed my cover up shirt and was now in just the still slightly damp, wine coloured bikini Alice had bought and packed for me. It wasn't particularly revealing, but my gently rounded stomach, was not the only place my pregnancy was starting to become obvious. My breasts had never been particularly large Carlisle always said they were made for him, his hands, but now, especially in this top, my cups and Carlisle's hands as I leant down towards him, were running over.

"Stunning…truly…stunning…" He breathed.

"And all…yours…" I purred. It was now my turn to cover the rapidly heating skin of his chest, with open mouthed, hot, suckling kisses, whilst teasingly rolling my hips over what his arousal, which I could feel twitching beneath me. We both moaned at the delicious friction.

"Mine…" Carlisle growled.

"Yoursssssssssssssss…" I cried out, my head falling back against my will, as Carlisle wrapped his arms posessively round my back and sat up, bringing his arousal into perfect contact with my heated core.

"So soft…your skin…feels…tastes so damn good…" Carlisle groaned as his dangerous mouth, began to kiss the flaming hot and painfully sensitive skin of my breasts whilst the one hand he had removed from my waist, cupped and squeezed gently.

"Car..lisle…Carli..sle…please…please…more…" I was shamefully pleading as I writhed in his lap and arched my swollen body towards him…desperate for some sort of relief from the breathtakingly intense pleasure that was coursing through my body.

"OH CHRIST!" I screamed. I actually screamed when I felt Carlisle's thumb sweep over my swollen nipple, only to be quickly followed by his mouth as he sucked gently through the damp material. I was forced to Ohuse his shoulders to try and right myself as the hot sand slipped through my fingers.

"Mae…darling…" I heard Carlisle say, his tone half amused and half worried. Finally, after what felt like a supreme effort, I managed to lift my heavy, lust filled head and look into his face.

"I…hormones…feel…on fire…need…you…more…please…" I whimpered, hoping to hell that the words I was trying to say, were actually comprehensible to Carlisle, to anyone apart from dogs and dolphins. How the hell had my voice got so damn high?

Carlisle was smiling…a genuine, breathtaking amused, loving smile. I had missed that smile so damn much, but right at this precise moment, all I wanted…needed was that mouth…on my skin…anywhere…

Another noise I couldn't describe escaped me, causing the amusement in Carlisle's smile to be replaced with tenderness, but also a look of lust that caused another rush of need to crash over me.

_"__Oh my beautiful…brave…Mae…you'll never have to beg me again…to touch, to love you…I'm yours…only yours…always…" Carlisle breathed, his hands running through my hair as he peppered my face in kisses and pressed me gently back into the sand._

___Carlisle continued to tell me how much he loved me, how beautiful I was and how much he had missed my body, as his mouth tortured me to the brink, of coming apart as it moved over my now bare torso and breasts and his skilled hands pushed me over the edge. _

_"__So wet Mae…" he growled, moving his hand into my bikini bottoms and cupping my sex, before allowing his finger to slip between my folds._

_"__You..you want…need…" _

_"__I know my love…I know what you need…" Carlisle growled as he gently, slowly slipped another finger inside me, keeping up a steady rhythm that had me writhing against his hand, desperate for that little extra pressure, that little extra fiction to tip me over the edge. And just when I thought I was going to literally pass out, Carlisle with the lightest touch to my swollen aching clit, gave me my release._

___It would take three washes to get all the sand out of my hair. My body bucked and arched in the sand, as the coil of need finally snapped._

_"__You know…it's probably for the best, men can't actually get pregnant…I really don't think…we could cope with hormones…giving us orgasms like that one…" Carlisle chuckled softly from somewhere above me. My eyes were open, but it took me a long moment to focus. Finally, there he was…my Carlisle. His face bathed in a beautiful, loving smile._

_"__I'm sorry…" I began_

_"__For what? Mae…sweetheart…you have…never looked, never sounded more beautiful…"_

___I smiled and went to speak, but my words were cut off by a deep sigh as I felt Carlisle's, what must be painful arousal, brush against me as loomed over me, his weight supported on his hands either side of my head._

_"__This…this was meant to be a chance…for you to…"_

_"__For US…" Carlisle said a little sharply_

_"__Just testing…" I teased, my hands moving from round his neck down his back to try and pull him as close to me as I could._

_"__I've learnt this lesson the hard way my darling…I need you…mind…body…and soul…" Carlisle sighed, brushing my lips with a brief, but tender kiss._

_"__Well, it may take me some time…a life time…to try and fix your mind and soul…but your body…and it's…not so little problem…" I giggled " I can help you with…"_

_"__Oh god Mae…pleaaaseee" Carlisle moaned into my neck._

_" __I can't promise…that you'll come as hard as I did…"_

_"__You underestimate yourself my darling…" Carlisle moaned with a humourless chuckle._

___And, as it turned out, although our joining was brief, it was intense enough to bring us both to a climax that saw us clinging to each other and crying out our love for each other, with such force and at such volume, the birds roosting on the far side of the Island, would not return for almost a week. _

_Once we had both managed to come back down to earth, we realized were both covered in sand that had gotten into some very uncomfortable places. Not wanting to traipse it back into the house and both being, extremely hot, Carlisle and I had decided to take a short swim and try and cool off. The only problem with that was, we had ended up wrapped around each other, making out like teenagers and splashing each other. Finally, we remained still, my legs were wrapped around Carlisle's waist. After another long, languid kiss Carlisle rested his chin on my shoulder for a long moment…before beginning to speak_

_"__You are my heroine…"_

_"__You are my hero…" I whispered, my voice catching as I heard the words we had pledged to each other here on our honeymoon._

_"__You are my best friend…" Carlisle said turning his head to look at me._

_"__You are my lover…" I said with a small smile as I stroked his face._

_"__I told you, that you underestimated yourself…" Carlisle chuckled softly, referring to our earlier activity._

_"__Meh, not bad…but I can do better…and I have three whole weeks, to practice…" I teased._

___Carlisle's head fell back as he laughed._

_"__Now these hormones…I like…" he said, tightening his arms around me. We were now face to face and Carlisle's eyes were full of love. "You…my beautiful, brave girl…are my strength…my safe place…" he sighed._

_"__You…and Alexander…are my life…" I replied simply_

_" __I…am…by some miracle…that I will be forever grateful for…still…your husband…"_

_"__And I…am…your hormonal…getting more than a little hungry wife…" I said with a soft smile. " And no matter what happens…the good…make that the amazing…our baby…the bad, the scary…the downright terrifying…I will be that for always…" I whispered my voice rough with emotion._

_"__And I will love, protect and adore you…both you and Alexander…and Harper, when my beautiful little girl does join our family…forever…"_


	33. Chapter 33

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; I know, I'm sorry..but this just wrote itself. Maybe it's the season, the whole being with or without family thing. Carlisle laid a few ghosts to rest on the island, made steps to prepare for the future. This is a chance for Mae to do the same, with something from her past. So there is angst towards the end, but I think I've added a nice bit of fluff.**

**A tuck box= sweets and cakes that boarding school kids either took with them to school, or bought at break time. **

**ESME POV**

"THREE DAYS! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WON'T BE HOME FOR ANOTHER THREEEEEEEE DAYS?" Alice screeched, forcing me to almost drop the phone as I almost flung it away from me in my hurry to safe my hearing from the onslaught and Carlisle, who was dozing next t next to me, to actually wake up with an adorably startled expression.

"Gimme the phone…" he said roughly, holding out his hand as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He was still half asleep, but his tone was one that I knew well enough by now not to argue with. I handed over the phone.

"Alice…ALICE! Calm down…I'm sure you've seen the air traffic control strike in England mentioned on the news…yes Alice, I know it only affects commercial air traffic…as do the many other people that have decided to do what we are doing and chartering a plane home…the next one of which will be available in three days time…" Carlisle said calmly, but firmly.

"We're using AMAIR…" Carlisle said. There was a brief pause… "Yes Alice, I know if I used TWI AIR or ECLIPSE AIR we could be on a plane tomorrow afternoon. But AMAIR is the only one with a big enough jet for hire, that will allow us to bring another ten people who are stranded, home with us…"

I smiled softly. God I loved this man. When we had arrived at JFK airport to make our connection flight back to England, he had taken one look at the other people stranded by the unexpected strike in England and got straight on the phone. He knew he couldn't help everyone, but I could see his heart going out to the young families and the older couple that he secretly paid for rooms for in the same hotel as us. The officious airport manager had almost tripped over his own tounge when Carlisle had introduced himself as Lord Carlisle Cullen, using the very precise English accent that drove me insane with lust.

"_Yes Lord Cullen…No Lord Cullen…of course Lord Cullen…don't hesitate to ask Lord Cullen." _I _had teased, mimicking both the airport manager and later hotel manager's simpering tones. He wasn't even aware he was doing it, but Carlisle was exuding, a natural presence and authority that had nothing to do with his "alter ego" as he had taken to referring to his work as DCI, or his title. This truly was Carlisle Cullen the man and he was strong, confident, firm yet fair, kind, protective, sexy as hell and…all mine._

"_Stop it." Carlisle had growled, trying and failing to hide his smirk of amusement. "Might as well get some good out of the damn title…and God..that Simpkins…"_

"_Simmons…" I corrected._

"_Whatever…he's damn lucky we're not in 12thCentury England…or else this Lord of the Manor would have soo invoked his privilege to have servants flogged or put in the stocks. That poor woman, she was asking for a travel cot not one of his lungs! It's a five star bloody hotel…" he had raged._

"_Yes…but most guests who bring babies here…not that I'm thinking there are many, usually come fully equipped with a nanny and their own, fir lined, diamond encrusted travel cots…" I had said, pulling the cover aside as he emerged from the bathroom looking breathtakingly handsome in just a pair of sleep pants and with one lock of still damp hair falling in his face._

_Carlisle had huffed a laugh as he slipped in beside me, lying on his side, his head resting on his hand. _

"_Well sorry son…" he had said, reaching out a hand to gently stroke my small bump. "When we do travel, you wont be getting a nanny or, a fur lined, diamond encrusted travel cot…"_

"_With matching 200 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets…" I had added seriously._

"_You're making that up…" Carlisle had scoffed._

"_Am not…Bella told us that one of her co-stars had all that and more…for her kid." I argued._

"_Well…my boy…you won't be getting those either…despite what your Aunty Alice might try and suggest…"_

"_Or the Havendale Nursery Agency…Lord Venton's wife…Mabel…"_

"_Miranda…"_

"_Well, she heard our happy news and gave them my email address.."_

_Carlisle had a separate email account for his House of Lord's duties and Frank his steward had suggested that as I was thinking about doing some more charity work during my maternity leave, using my title as Lady Cullen, I should set one up as well._

"_I hope you told them that we weren't interested…or…do you want to get a nanny…to help out in the first few weeks?" Carlisle had said cautiously. "Okay…sorry..stupid question…" Carlisle had chuckled, holding his hand up in mock defense as I had growled at him._

"_I know it's aristocratic tradition…but the only person caring for…our son…will be me…us…"_

_At my words, Carlisle's face had broken into a breathtakingly beautiful smile, his eyes were shining with happiness and love as he looked at me._

"_What?" I had asked quietly, reaching out to stroke his cheek._

"_It's nothing...silly…" he had said, shaking his head the cutest blush colouring his cheeks._

"_Tell me…" I had pressed._

" _Just the thought of you caring for our baby…coming home every day to see you both…it just…" he trailed off, his voice rough with emotion as he looked down for a minute to compose himself. My heart had almost burst with love for him at that moment. I had felt so loved, so wanted and safe. Not trusting myself to speak, I had raised his chin with my fingers and pressed my lips against his, pouring everything I felt into a tender kiss. When we had finally parted, Carlisle had tenderly tucked my hair behind my ear and kissed my forehead. There was no need for words, on that subject at least._

"_I'm still going to have words with that Simpkins bloke…making poor Jenny feel, so embarrassed. It's not on, there's no need to…"_

"_It's totally unacceptable Lord Cullen…" I teased wanting to keep Carlisle from lapsing into the brooding he was still prone to, but which was thankfully becoming less whilst we were away. _

"_Stop it…" Carlisle growled._

"_Of course Lord Cullen…terribly sorry Lord Cullen…" I continued in a terrible English accent. I had been stopped from teasing any further teasing by Carlisle's tickling fingers. After five long minutes, laughter filled minutes, in which I had given him a few defensive whacks with a pillow, I was laying upside down on the bed with a deliciously ruffled Carlisle looming over me, gently pinning my arms above my head._

"_Disrespectful wench…"Carlisle teased before crashing his mouth to mine in a playful kiss._

"_Forgive me your Lordship…I am just an innocent girl from the colonies…"_

"_Who has captured my mind, body and soul…My Lady…My Love…"Carlisle had breathed softly as he leant down to claim my mouth once more._

"It's just…they get here the day tomorrow afternoon…I was kinda hoping for a little back up…"

Carlisle must have put my phone on speaker, as Alice's unnaturally nervous and uncertain voice echoed round the room drawing me from my reverie.

"Alice, you've organized a wonderful christening for Danni sweetheart…" I said casting a glance at Carlisle, who was looking as worried as I was at Alice's tone.

"But have I though? Nothing I have ever done in the past has been good enough for them. The Senator's not so bad, but she…Jasper's mom…she hates me…she looks at me like…when we took Danni to meet them at the embassy, when I told her I was breast feeding, she looked at me like I was some kind of animal. I wanted to do it…and I'm lucky enough to be able…and they say it's meant to be best. I mean, I know not all women can do it easily, but I was okay and I only wanted Danni to…" Alice babbled sounding almost on the verge of tears.

"Alice…Alice STOP. You are a brilliant mom…you only have to look at Danni to see that. She's beautiful, healthy, alert…able to wrap grown men round her little finger with just a look…" I said glancing at Carlisle who huffed a laugh and blushed adorably. He, Emmett and Edward were totally smitten with her and in constant competition to see how could make her laugh the most, see who's voices she responded to. Danni would observe them all with a look of patient humouring, whilst saving the most adorable chuckles and contented sighs for her beloved daddy Jasper and her two adopted grandfather's Danny and Embry.

"And us not having a nanny..christ…I felt like calling Social Services on myself" Alice sighed.

"Well Mrs Whitlock is gonna love me…a Lady of the realm who plans not only, not to have a nanny…but also to breast feed…" I chuckled. I swore Carlisle made a noise, but when I looked at him, he was smiling innocently at me.

"You are? I know the best place to get bra's and there's this cream…" Alice chirped, a little of her sparkle returning.

"Okay Al…think we'll have this conversation when I get home…" I said quickly, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed about Carlisle hearing this stuff.

"He's going to hear and see a lot worse you know…" Alice chuckled. "Anyway…please please get home as soon as you can…I need you and I know Jazzy needs Carlisle. He doesn't say so, or pretends it doesn't matter, but he's spent his whole life trying to make the Senator proud of him. It fucking kills me, seeing my big strong cowboy so unsure of himself…" Alice said sadly. "He says to say everything is going fine at the office…doesn't know what you were complaining about…" Alice said lightly.

"Tell him to get back to me after his first joint security budget and planning meeting…" Carlisle said. His tone was light, but I heard the slight edge. Instinctively, I reached out to stroke his arm, I also laid a kiss to his bare shoulder. He smiled.

"Will do, when I see him, there's been a couple of money truck robberies…they caught the team, it's just a case of sweating them..see who coughs first." Alice said seriously. It made us both laugh to hear Alice using police slang terminology. But behind his laughter I saw something else.

Carlisle was hearing about a series of serious crimes on his "manor" as police called the areas they had jurisdiction over, but his interest was only mild…a standard curiousity. Carlisle had been a copper, a thief taker for most of his adult life, the tough persona he had created had kept him alive both physically and mentally on more than one occasion. But right now…in this minute…Carlisle didn't care…and it was a feeling that was scaring the crap out of him. But my brave wonderful man, was fighting that fear…he was fighting the urge to let the darkness take him again.

"We'll be right by yours and Jasper's side Al I promise. I'll talk to Jasper…I have ways of helping him work out his issues about the Senator…"

"Carlisle…the last thing Jazzy needs is his dad seeing him wasted…" Alice scolded.

A bark of laughter escaped Carlisle.

"Well, I don't think me sharing my tuck box with him like I used to at school, would work too well now…but no…I won't let him embarrass himself I promise…"

"Kay…love you guys…hurry home…and Mae, remind me about that cream…it smells great, goes on really smoothly…Jazzy loves it…says it's the least greasy of the ones I've used…he doesn't need to use as much when he puts…"

"GOODBYE ALICE!" Carlisle and I said in unison as our minds were filled with images we really didn't want.

"So my love...New York is yours to do with what you will…sight seeing…shopping…a show…what would you like to do?" Carlisle said next morning over breakfast.

"Would you mind…if I went to see my Mom?" I said quietly.

Talking to Alice last night about which nursing bra to by and what creams to use, had bought to the front of my mind once more, thoughts I'd been having on and off since the day I found out I was pregnant. I missed having my mom to talk to every day, there were so many times during the hard times with Carlisle, during the happy times too, that I wished I had her to confide in, her arms to cry in, but that ache had got worse since I had discovered I was pregnant.

"Of course not love." Carlisle said softly, raising my hand from the table and pressing it too his lips.

"I've got a few things to tell her…show her…" I said smiling softly. "I mean, I've shown her your picture, but…I'd like her to see you in person…does that sound stupid…hormones and tiredness…bad combination." I babbled.

"Not at all. I've always wanted to meet your mum." Carlisle said.

I smiled. "Make sure you bring plenty of hankies…"

The graveyard was as quiet and peaceful as I remembered, but I still couldn't stop the shiver that shook my body, as we walked along the asphalt path that snaked between the various sections of the cemetery. Carlisle pulled me into his side, wrapping his arm around me and kissing the top of my head. It took me a few moments to get my bearings, it had been…too long, since I had been here, but I finally found the tree over in a far quiet corner beneath which my mom lay. All through her life, but especially in her final years, my mom had been tortured by insomnia. The pain gripping her body, robbing her of more than the barest amount of sleep, so I had thought that the least she deserved as she settled into her hopefully peaceful eternal rest, was somewhere quiet and pretty.

The small grey headstone was clean and the grass tidy thanks to the service I paid for, but it looked so bare compared to the other graves festooned with flowers from loving family members. The beautiful wreath Carlisle had bought with us assaged my guilt slightly but…

"I'll arrange with the florist, that fresh flowers are bought every week…" Carlisle said from behind me. I half turned and smiled weakly at him.

"Mind reading is just one of his talents mom…" I said softly as I stepped forward. I let my hand gently trace over the cool stone.

"He also loves me so damn much…well I guess you saw what he did. He's a good man Mom, not perfect…but as you said…no "real man" is. He makes me happy…crazy…angry…upset…feel safer and more loved and wanted than I have ever felt. He gets me Mom…doesn't try and hold me back…apart from when I try and cook…yes he has suffered my experiments…and he loves me anyway…miracles do happen huh…" I chuckled softly. Tears were streaming down my cheeks, but I didn't…couldn't stop them. And he…he's going to make a brilliant father…I promise…

Thankyou Mom…for getting him up there…to give me…us another chance…and for giving me…my beautiful little boy…" I whispered as I awkwardly squatted down. I held a copy of our first scan picture up in front of the stone. " His name is Alexander…Alexander Jonathan Cullen…which I have a feeling will become AJ or Alex pretty quick…especially if his Uncle Emmett has his way. And I promise, he won't be like me…so damn serious and quiet, that it takes him years to find some really great friends. I…we'll make sure…he enjoys his childhood I promise…but I don't regret a minute of it mom…I swear. You and me against them all…oh god mom…I really wish…you were here…" I hiccoughed, unable to speak anymore as the painful sobs gripped me.

"So do I Kathleen, I would have loved to have met you. Thanked you for giving my Mae, she is a credit to you. An amazing woman… her strength, courage her wicked sense of humour, and most of all…her loving heart, could have only come from you…and for that…I shall always be grateful. " Carlisle said as he appeared behind me, gently helping me rise to my feet, before wrapping me in his arms and letting me sob against his chest. "But I swear…I will love and protect her always. She is my world. And I promise…I will raise your grandson to be a good man." He finished kissing the top of my head and leaving his lips there for a minute, before gently taking the scan photo from my hand, and carefully burying it beneath the pebbles that covered the top of the grave.

" Watch over them for me Kathleen, for these next few months…" he whispered as he stood up, gently running his hand over the stone. He quickly returned to me, wrapping me up in his arms once more. We stood for a long moment, lost in thought.

"He is incapable of finding the linen basket…he drinks from the carton…is a trashy telly fiend and has a sweeter tooth than I do…" I said quietly against Carlisle's chest.

"Er…that is a lie…"Carlisle said, obviously a little confused by my change in mood.

I giggled.

"What I eat in the next few months doesn't count…" I said. I pulled back from him to look in his face. " Mom always told me to be wary of good looking men, who say all the right things at the right time. And you my darling…wonderful man…just said every damn thing she always wanted to hear a man say about me. If you had been meeting her in person, she would have hugged the life out of you, before dragging me off to the kitchen and demanding to know that you had at least one fault." I said.

"I can assure Kathleen…I have my faults…many of them…but thankfully, your daughter is strong enough for both of us, to help me get through them. Which seems only fair, considering I am forced to endure her limited culinary repitoire,…inability to place CD's and DVD's back in the correct cases her desire to dye all my white T-shirts pink…"

"Once! I did that once!" I exploded.

We both laughed, before Carlisle gently took my face in his hands and kissed me softly.

"And yes, I do feel slightly awkward…kissing you infront of your mum…but I…I love you Mrs Cullen…always and forever…"

" I love you too…Mr Cullen" I said tipping my forehead to rest against his. "Now did you bring hankies like I asked? I would like to try and fix my hideous looking face." I said after a long minute.

"Err…you asked me to bring hankies?"

"Yes Carlisle…please don't say that this is the first day, in all the time I've known you, that you have forgotten those well learned boarding school manners and forgotten your hanky?" I growled, only half joking.

As we walked back to the car, bickering amicably…I swear I could hear my mom's laughter


	34. Chapter 34

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT.**

**AN: Happy New Year to all my wonderful readers. Sadly, the promised sequel is stuck in development hell, so whilst I try and get things straight, I thought you might like another of the loose ends from the original story tied up. This is Miss Danni's christening. I'm afraid there is some angst there, as I have mentioned Jasper has a difficult relationship with his parents, but don't panic…they are not even in the same universe as Jane…and I hope, I have managed to add a few nice fluffy moments to balance things out.**

**Enjoy.**

**Twitter: Storyteller_Sal**

**CARLISLE POV**

"What's the worst he can do to you?"

"Make… me feel… like a useless… disappointment." Jasper grunted as he threw a series, of heavy blows in impressively quick succession, at my head guard

"You could always arrest him…" I replied, staggering slightly as I tried to keep my balance.

"Diplomatic Immunity."

"I'm sure if you asked Sgt Cook on the custody desk nicely, maybe smiled and gave her a howdy…she could delay his paperwork and phone call…" I teased. Thankfully, I was still blessed with fighter's reflexes, and was able to dance out of the way as a, growling Jasper decided to launch himself at me fists flailing. It was one of the worst kept secrets in the station, that Sgt Catherine Cook, or "Cookie" as we sarcastically called her, due to the fact that no matter how stressful the situation, this cookie never crumbled, had a huge crush on Jasper.

Reaching the side of the ring, I chucked Jasper's towel at him and rang the bell.

"Alice knows how to throw a pretty impressive Venomiser remember? And she would lay us both out cold, if we came home with cuts and bruises…"

"Hah…you barely laid a glove on me…you're slowing down old man…" Jasper taunted playfully.

"Pacing myself son…pacing myself." I replied before springing forward and surprising him with a flurry of punches. I was hopeful that he hadn't heard the slight doubt I heard in my own words and would drop the subject after this. I knew if it came to it, I could take Jasper in the ring, but it would be a long, hard fight, one that the Venomiser would not be able to end for me if I was struggling. Jasper was physically tough, but also had an uncanny ability to get inside his opponent's heads, under their skin, force them into mistakes. And I knew, that my control physically was still not as strong as I'd like it to be. I knew, that if I got back into the ring for more than just light sparing and Jasper really pushed me, the adrenaline, the atmosphere and those last demons that I fought every day to keep under control, could cause me to lash out. Some

"I hate seeing Alice like this…so on edge…so unsure of herself. I mean, the christening is going to be perfect…like everything else she organizes..but…my mom…she gets under her skin like no one else. Hell, she gets under mine, but seeing Alice go through that shit…it's wrong…"Jasper raged, roughly running a hand through his sweaty curls after we had finally climbed out of the ring, prompted by a unusually stressed Danny bustling past the ring and declaring;

"_If you two ladies have finished your dance practice, there is a pint of beer with my name on, waiting at the Red Lion…"_

"You're preaching to the choir here my friend…" I said quietly, leaning back against the ring and crossing my arms over my chest. Mae and I had been home two days, but we were both suffering with jet lag. The travelling and the emotion of the visit to her mum's grave, plus a short detour around her old neighbourhood, had taken it out of her. I had expected an argument from Mae this morning, when I told Alice who had been remarkably restrained for two days, thanks to Rose and Emmett, that she couldn't come round till the afternoon to see Mae. Instead, I received a beautiful sleepy smile and an only half teasing _"I love it when you get all domineering and protective". _

Mae was always affectionate and loving, and humourously indulgent of my lesser "protective caveman" tendencies. I had learnt the hard way, that she wouldn't stand for my over the top temper driven outbursts, but since our trip, especially the visit to her mum's grave, she had positively encouraged my attempts to look after and care for her.

"_You guys have been through a hell of a lot Carlisle, she's been a mess without you, you know that…but, it's also hormonal…Alice went through a stage like that…which was quickly followed by a stage of her being irritated by me even breathing, or looking at her. Enjoy this part while it lasts…" Jasper had said sagely during our earlier run._

Jasper was the most easy going, laid back, calm man you could hope to meet. He strongly believed in Dalton, Patrick Swayze's character in Roadhouse's, mantra of "be nice, till it's time, not to be nice". But living his life and doing the job he did meant that he internalized a lot of stress and tension. He had been that way since I had first met him at school. A tall, gangly eleven year old, who had smiled and tried to joke off the other boys vicious teasing, until one day during a cross country run, he had taken off from the designated route, with me his new best friend in close pursuit. We had run for miles, had been put on detention for what felt like forever, for our "little jaunt" as the masters sneeringly called it. But, I hadn't really cared, the exhausting trip, which had seen us collapse and fall asleep in a farmer's field and Jasper spill out his anger, frustration and tears to me. Jasper missed the space he had had on his father's ranch…_"room to think, to breathe…just to be"_ He had also, missed sharing that space with his father. The two of them had often set out early in the morning, either on foot or on horseback, exploring the land and just "being".

But then Jasper's father had bowed to the pressure placed on him by his family and run for office. It was a sad case of "absolute power, corrupting absolutely". His father had been overwhelmed by the pressure, dazzled by the bright lights of Washington and things had never been the same between the two of them ever again.

And whilst we didn't have the space that Jasper so badly needed here in the centre of London, and I was too damn exhausted to run more than a few miles, I could by bringing him to Danny's gym, allow him to push his body in other physical ways, relieve a little of the intense pressure that was building behind the wall that Jasper had so skillfully built around his feelings.

"Do you think that's drew us to each other? Made us friends…our parental issues?" Jasper chuckled humourlessly.

"Naa, it was more the fact that you had a remote control Starksy and Hutch Car…" I laughed.

"That was a sweet car wasn't it? I had to fight your Dad to get the control's back."Jasper said smiling fondly, before his brow furrowed slightly. "You know, that car, you could say it started a whole lot of my problems…made me first think about being a cop…I told my dad and you know what he said…"

"Being a cop, isn't all about screeching round corners at high speed, driving through cardboard boxes."

Jasper and I both jumped at the unexpected voice of Jasper's father.

"Dad…"

"Hello Son…Carlisle…" the Senator said nodding his now white haired head at me.

"Senator…" I replied.

With striking speed and no sound that I had heard, Danny had emerged once more from his office in the back of the gym and was now protectively, flanking Jasper on his left, whilst I stood on the right.

"Bob… you found the place alright then…" Danny said gruffly, holding out his hand.

"You left pretty clear instructions…and even my "useless lump" of a security detail can programme a sat nav…" Jasper's father replied as he shook Danny's hand. Danny may have been the smaller, slightly older and less important man, but the power and warning he exuded in that handshake and the look he gave the Senator was truly immense. It was the look, a true father gave anyone threatening his child.

Finally, Danny turned and looked at a stunned Jasper, who was looking between the two men in confusion.

"I know I'm not your father boy…that honour goes to this man here…but over the last months…you my Alice and that darling girl who has my name…you've become the family I've always wanted…you know that. And seeing the two of you so nervous and doubting yourselves and doubting what type of parents you are to wee Danni…it broke this old heart in two fair halves, especially when I know…you have not one damn thing to doubt yourselves over." Danny growled roughly. He was looking at Jasper, but his last words, were clearly aimed at Senator Whitlock. "So the other night…I took myself off to the embassy…and your father and I had a talk…and a half decent whisky…I am sorry Jasper…if you think that I've got above myself…it's just hearing my Alice cry…I just can't be doing with it…" Danny said seriously.

Jasper shook his head, as if to clear it, before clapping the little man on his shoulder. "Thankyou…" he said roughly.

"Now, you'll not fix everything…but you can talk…agree a truce for Saturday…allow Miss Danielle and her mother to enjoy the special day in peace." Danny said in a tone that was more an order than a request. I could only imagine what he had been like in the army.

"Carlisle..whilst you're here…you can help me work out this new mobile Alice has bought me. All I want to do is make a phone call, not launch a space ship…"Danny said in a yet another issue ordering command.

"You don't have to leave…" Jasper said suddenly, his tone sounding heartbreakingly desperate for a second.

"I got a call from Washington the other day…Marcus is pretty much persona non grata at Langley at the moment. He won't be able to screw up…or hurt anyone again." Senator Whitlock offered timidly.

I took a kind of twisted pleasure in seeing the great Senator, usually so calm and sure of himself, looking so uncertain and nervous as he saw just how protected Jasper was.

"Yeah…I meant to call you…thank you properly for that." Jasper said quietly.

"It was the least I could do. I read the report on what happened in Volterra…you, all of you…you took one hell of a risk…"

Jasper and I both opened our mouths to argue that we had had no choice, but the Senator held up his hand.

"But you had no damn choice. The whole situation was a fucking class A screw up from start to finish…as was the whole thing with the assignation attempt on the Prince…yes I've seen that file too. You run a damn fine team Carlisle…"

"It's Jasper's team at the moment…and I couldn't do it without Jasper…he is the strategist…" I began.

"I saw you on the news last night son. You think you'll be able to get a conviction of those cash truck robbers."

"Yes Sir…they're looking at long stretches behind bars, so they've all started turning on each other…" Jasper said. "We've also got solid forensic evidence and other testimony to back it up."

"Aye…Jasper's the master of detail..walks a plan through a hundred times before he'll let it past…but he can think on his feet too. Would never have bought those bare knuckle thugs down without him. He saved my neck, with that good ol charm of his…now away now Carlisle…we'll let Jasper and his Da have a chat then we'll retire for a drink or too…of decent Irish Whisky."

As Danny passed Jasper, he clasped him on the shoulder and muttered;

"We'll not be far son…you'll be grand…and I promised Alice I'd call…let her know that everything was going alright. I mean poor Mae is still recovering from her trip and in her condition, she needs her rest…last thing she needs is an upset Alice bouncing around." Danny said.

"Forget your phone Danny…use mine…" I growled.

**ESME POV**

"So, so far so good…they're heading to the pub…but I still think Jazzy is going to kill me. But I had to do something…even if it was something desperate…" Alice sighed as she flopped down across my feet on the bed.

I had vague memories of Carlisle leaving in the morning, but I had quickly fallen back to sleep and only woken up when Alice had buzzed at the door twenty minutes earlier. She had entered the apartment chattering away with the speed of a machine gun, without breaking stride, or pausing for breath, she had pushed me back into bed and settled down next to me. I couldn't help the snigger that escaped me at hearing Alice declare what she had done as desperate. I knew I never dare tell her about what I had done to Carlisle with the handcuffs.

"How are you feeling sweetie?" she said finally, tilting her head and fixing her large eyes that were full of genuine concern on me.

" Better…exhausted still, but better…I can't get used to feeling so tired all the time…"

"It's a bitch, but make the most of the this time, when you can actually sleep honey, cause couple months from now, when Master AJ is bouncing up and down on your bladder and using your kidney's as footballs, you'll pray for sleep…"

"You're really selling it to me Al…" I laughed.

"I love my darling girl, but I'm really hoping that Jasper doesn't mind her being an only child. I am not someone who suits being pregnant sadly. But you…most definitely are. Although I think some of that blissed out glow, has something to do with spending a month on a tropical island with a gorgeous husband, having lots, of hormone enhanced hot sex…" Alice giggled.

I flung a pillow at her…with a giggle, hoping that she didn't notice the blush I could feel heating my skin.

"He's not there yet…but…my Carlisle is coming back to me Al…" I sighed happily.

"He was never gone…just a little lost..I'm so happy for you honey…you and baby AJ…" she said stretching out her hand and gently stroking my bump. "It's the best christening present Danni could have, her god mommy and daddy back together happily, especially if her mummy ends up in prison for killing her granny." Alice sighed dramatically.

"Was yesterday that bad?" I asked.

"Yesss…no…it was just painful…she's happy with the arrangements…but the bitch, the look on her face when she saw that Danny was in the front pew…well she and go take a long walk off a short pier…Danny is my family..he's Danni's grandpa in every way that's important. Her little face when she sees him…when she had that nasty cold and wouldn't settle…oh, that was whilst you were away…" Alice said in answer to my shocked and questioning face. "Poor baby, with her teething as well, she really suffered. I was exhausted…Danny was there, walked the floor with her for ages whilst I got some sleep"

"Where is she?" I said suddenly. I was genuinely curious and I could also see Alice becoming really upset, something I hated to see. As I hoped, the distraction seemed to work. She smiled.

"She's with her Uncle Edward and Aunty Bella for the afternoon. I believe feeding the ducks and the park were mentioned. Edward is such a big kid." she laughed.

"But…they…Bella gets seen with Edward…and…" I squeaked.

"By the Paps you mean? Danni loves having her picture taken, you know that…and she's wearing a fabulous little outfit…" Alice said dismissively.

"I'm sure, but won't it cause Bella and Edward some…unwanted publicity?"

"Maybe, but it'll divert attention from their wedding."

"THEIR WHAT?" I shrieked.

"Calm down…nothing's official yet…and I doubt there will be any official announcements, till after they've done it… which if they way they were looking at each other last week when they came to dinner, won't be that long. I think Edward wants to talk to Carlisle first…he needs to hear it from his big brother, that he can do this…be a good husband…a good father. He has Embry…Jazz, Emmett, Danny…but no one understands him, what he's been through better than Carlisle…"

"And I think Carlisle needs to talk to him too…Edward saw, did a lot of traumatic stuff when he was in the army. I wanted them to talk before we went away…Carlisle wouldn't talk to anyone…hell he wouldn't even admit he had a problem. Then when he was ready to talk, Edward was busy working…do you think I should have put the trip to the Island off a few days, till they had chance to talk?"

"NO!" Alice said sharply. "It's true talking to Edward will probably help Carlisle…but it wouldn't of then. The only person that Carlisle wanted, the only person he needed was you…almost as much as you needed him. You two have wounds that only each other can heal…" Alice said wisely. I gave a slight smile. She was right.

"Now, it's just a thought, you don't have to…but Jasper and I, Emmett and Rose and Danny…not that he knows yet, are heading down to Harrowview for the fair. Bella's opening it…and Edward has agreed to be head judge this year…the villagers love them, but you know how crazy things get at the fair… and it is the first since the fire…we figured they could do with some moral support."

Before I had chance to answer her, the intercom buzzed…repeatedly. We looked at each other.

" Is Rose coming by?"

"No, she's working…shall I answer it?" Alice asked.

"Err, yeah…please…" I said. I was only wearing one of Carlisle's shirts and thanks to my long soak in the tub with Carlisle the night before, which had seen him wash my hair with as much care and tenderness as he had my body, before taking me to bed and making love to me slowly, sweetly, I had crazy, fluffy bed hair.

Alice lithely sprang up from the bed, whilst I began pulling on some yoga pants and quickly pulled my hair into a ponytail.

"Olivia…" I heard Alice squeak.

Olivia was Jasper's mother. What the hell she was doing here I didn't know, but if she thought she could upset my best friend in front of me, she had another thing coming. I quickly hurried into the lounge, to see Mrs Whitlock, a well dressed, if slightly overmade up woman in her late 60's, perching on one sofa, whilst Alice nervously flitted round the kitchen.

"Coffee filters?" Alice squeaked.

"Drawer to your left…Mrs Whitlock, this is a surprise…" I said.

"Yes, I'm sorry for just turning up like this Esme." she said rising to her feet.

Alice just about, managed to hide her snort of laughter in a cough.

"It's Mae…sit down…" Okay Mae, now is not the time to be Agent Cullen and treat the woman like a hostile suspect that needs questioning, as much as you want to. I thought to myself. Now, with a woman like Olivia, it was time for me to be Lady Cullen, something that I didn't have much practice of being, not that I wanted it, and it always seemed a little easier when Carlisle was with me. "Please…" I added with a small smile as I sat down on the couch opposite.

" As I was saying, I really wanted to talk to Alice before Saturday, and Luke and I have engagements until then, so this was my only chance. I called at the house…Miss Swan told me where you were…she didn't mean to, she and Edward were having a conversation when I arrived and she happened to mention." Olivia said quickly, obviously in answer to Alice and I's shocked expressions at the news that Bella would give Olivia of all people such information.

"I understood you were happy with the arrangements for Saturday…apart from the seating on the front pew…"

I saw Olivia open her mouth to speak, but I held up a hand.

"I'm sorry Mrs Whitlock, but Danny's place on the front pew is not negotiable." I said

" Yes, I suppose it is a little late to alter the seating plans now."

"Seating plans have nothing to do with it, the front pew is for little Danni's family and I'm afraid, whether you like or agree or not, Danny is family to little Danni, Alice and Jasper…" I said pointedly.

There was what felt like an endless silence, that was only finally broken by a wide eyed Alice, bringing over the coffee on a tray that was shaking. Almost like a small, scared child, she sat down next to me, leaning into me slightly. I began to rub her lower back, in what I hoped was a comforting way. When Olivia did speak, what she said shocked both Alice and myself."Well, it seems that with a mother such as Alice and a godmother like you Mae, to guide her, my granddaughter is going to grow up to be quite a woman…I've shocked you…"

"You hate me" Alice whispered.

Olivia laughed humourlessly.

"I know you and I didn't get off to the best start…and I never made much effort to correct that…which is something I regret. I don't hate you Alice…I have never hated you. It's true…you aren't the type of girl Luke and I expected Jasper to end up with. But Jasper has never really done what was expected of him…something that his father and I, despite appearances…envy him for. Jasper is so much Luke…was, before…we forgot what was…is important." Olivia said sadly and genuinely. "I envy you too Alice…your confidence, your talent…you're ability to understand, encourage, to love my son in a way that he should be loved…a way that makes him complete…happy. I envy you the chance you have with Danielle…to be, do what I wanted to do with Jasper."

There was another long silence, Olivia's words hanging heavily in the air. I felt Alice literally vibrating with emotion as she absorbed everything. Finally, Alice took a deep breath, before sitting forward on the sofa

" Thank you for telling me that Olivia…and I'm sorry that you've felt like that…I just really wish you had told me this…told Jasper this a long time ago. Because I really don't know…if I can ever really forgive you…not just for how you've made me feel…but for Jasper. You've hurt him badly…and I'm not sure, I can ever truly forgive that." Alice said quietly, calmly.

"Proving my point…that you, are, the woman that my son needs…I'm horribly aware, that I have a lot of work to do you and my son, but I would very much like to try."Olivia said

I had pleaded with myself not to cry, but hormones, tiredness and the fact that I had always deep down, wanted been desperate, to hear Jane say those things, overcame me. I managed to excuse myself and flee to the balcony, where I began to cry, loud, noisy, embarrassing sobs. Which were only stopped, when my son decided to make himself and why I had nothing to cry about really know. I thought I was imagining what felt like fluttering wings. But when it happened, twice more, I knew what it was. Carlisle had spent several lazy afternoons on the Island, reading the baby books, that Emmett of all people had bought for us.

The man had a heart that was bigger than he was, and during my blindness, we had developed a true bond I would always cherish. But not enough to allow him to be my birthing partner as he had excitedly suggested.

My baby, my son was moving…my Alex was truly alive.

"Hello my darling…Mummy feels you…" I cooed quietly as I gently stroked my bump and began to weep again, but this time in happiness. I knew things were probably very tense with Jasper and Carlisle probably needed to concentrate, but I couldn't stop myself from pulling out my cell. I was glad that I had escaped out of the living room onto balcony.

"Mae? Mae what's wrong sweetheart?"

"Nothing's wrong…"

"Why are you crying? What has Olivia done?"

I hadn't realized I was still crying.

"Nothing, I'm not calling because of her…Carlisle…I can feel the baby move." I said excitedly.

"Really? You're sure?" Carlisle breathed, his tone rough with such intense happiness and love, I started crying softly again.

"I'm sure."

"Oh Mae…"

"I love you." I rasped. I didn't need to be with him, to see the beautiful smile I could hear in his voice.

"Carlisle"

"Five more minutes." He pleaded, tilting his head to look at me whilst he pouted adorably. He was just too cute and, if I wasn't desperate for the bathroom, I would have given him the extra time. Instead, I had to give him a firm look and move his hand gently away before standing up.

"It won't be long before you'll be able to feel him too…" I said gently coming to stand in front of him between his knees. I let my hand fall to stroke his cheek. The look of excitement, happiness and love in his eyes as he looked up at me was so breathtaking I couldn't help, but bend down and brush my lips gently over his.

Before I could allow myself to give into Carlisle's attempts to deepen the kiss, a more pressing urge made itself known once more.

"Alice, I take back every joke about you and your tiny bladder…" I growled against his lips, causing him to chuckle.

_Carlisle had returned home less than an hour after my phone call, to find Alice, Olivia and I chatting politely about pregnancy and babies, whilst sitting at the dining table eating a salad I had quickly thrown together, whilst silently thanking Mrs Doyle for making sure we didn't come home to an empty kitchen or cold house. Carlisle was politeness itself to Olivia, but it didn't stop him coming to stand behind Alice and I, who were on one side of the table, placing a protective hand on each of our shoulders before leaning down to kiss me and place a kiss on the top of Alice's spiky head. A strange look that I couldn't describe crossed Olivia's face as she looked at us, before she_ _smiled softly, sadly._

"_If Aro could see you now…Alexander will be a fine man." _

_I had felt Carlisle's hand tremble slightly at her words, and reached up to cover it with my own. _

"_It's alright Carlisle…we..we've talked, cleared the air a little. We both want, Saturday to be a special day for Danielle…after that, well…we'll take it a day a time. Baby steps…excuse the pun…"_

"So, how did it go with Jasper and the Senator?" I asked when I returned to the lounge. From the minute we had seen Olivia and later, a slightly calmer Alice out, Carlisle had, had his hands on my bump, trying to encourage a now still Alexander to move again. He knew as well as I did, that it would be a few more weeks before he could really feel anything, but I didn't have the heart to stop him. It was just too sweet, and so lovely to see Carlisle so happy and relaxed. I sat down on the couch and within seconds, Carlisle was stretched out, his head in my lap. My hands found their way into his hair, causing him to make a wonderful purring sound from deep within his chest.

"They won't fix things overnight…you know, it has always killed me seeing Jasper so unsure, so desperate for approval…I'm afraid I lost it a little bit with the Senator. Told him that life was too damn short…how I wished my Dad was here to be part of AJ's life…" Carlisle said, his voice suddenly a little rough with emotion, his eyes shining.

"I know baby…well, when we go down for the Harrowview Fair, we'll make sure we'll take a copy of the next scan picture…let Aro see his grandson." I said. Carlisle's eyes widened slightly as he took in my words.

"Jasper told me that everyone was planning to go down…are you sure Mae?"

"Of course…I've missed Edward, Bella, Sue…Mrs Roper…and the cow show, well…ever since Esme the Jersey won…I've felt a kind of bond you know…" I giggled. Carlisle laughed.

"Ah yes Esme the Jersey Cow…" he sighed dreamily. " Quite a looker if I remember rightly…had the most beautiful brown eyes…" he teased

"Oh really?"

"Yes, but I told her…my heart belonged to another Esme…one with the most incredible…hazel eyes…" Carlisle said huskily as he sat up slightly, twisting his hand gently in my hair and pulling me down towards him. "That flash with gold when she's…" He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as the day, the tone of his voice, the look in his eye saw me crash my lips to his with a small whimper. Carlisle chuckled softly round the edge of our kiss.

"I actually…said…kick my…ass…but…this works too." he said. His laugh quickly became a moan, however as my tounge began to stroke his own. We soon found however, that my bump, although not huge, did not make this position comfortable for either of us for long.

"I know, we will have many nights when AJ will interrupt Mummy and Daddy's alone time…but tonight, is not one of those nights…" Carlisle growled as he swept me bridal style into his arms.

Saturday dawned bright and warm and everyone, although still a little nervous, was a lot more relaxed than they had been earlier in the week. All the men looked striking handsome in smart suits. Although poor Danny, had the look of a man who was being strangled by his collar and tie. Carlisle was looking especially handsome I thought in a charcoal grey suit and navy blue shirt. I on Alice's insistence was wearing a matching wine coloured wrap dress that showed, but didn't flaunt my bump. Carlisle took care of that part. He didn't seem to be able to take his eyes and at least one hand off of me, or my bump for longer than five minutes. It had also, taken me fifteen minutes and a several half hearted threats, earlier that morning, to get him to remove his dangerous mouth from my neck, which was exposed thanks to me wearing my hair up in a twist.

Rose and Bella looked stunning in a floral patterned summer dresses, whilst Alice looked like elegance itself in a tailored dusty rose pink shift dress and jacket. The real beauty however, was Danielle, not just because of the exquisite satin and lace christening robe she was wearing, but because of the huge, heartbreakingly beautiful smile she would wear for almost the entire day.

In the twenty minutes before the ceremony began, we gathered in the Cathedral's beautiful rose garden to pose for some photographs. Danielle cooed happily as she was passed between her doting uncles and adopted grandparents. It was when Carlisle attempted to hand her to Jasper's father that we had our truly tense moment. The little girl seemed to freeze in Carlisle's arms before burying her head under his chin and whimpering quietly into his neck. The sound seemed to echo with the force of a gunshot in the garden. All eyes were on us.

"Heh now my gorgeous girl, no tears today…not on your special day…it's your grandpa Whitlock…yes that's right…you Miss Danielle, are such a very special little girl, you have three grandpa's that love you…aren't you lucky..yes..yes you are…" Carlisle crooned quietly in her ear as he rocked her gently. Danielle snuffled for another long moment, before turning her head and observing Jasper's father. If it was possible, I fell a little deeper in love with my husband at that moment.

"She must be tired…she's had a lot of excitement already…" the Senator said. His light tone, could not totally hide his hurt however.

"She lasted a lot longer than I ever do when I'm having my photograph taken…I was going to ask her for some tips…" Bella joked, earning a strained laugh.

"It's time for us to head inside now…maybe we can have a picture taken later…" A mortified Alice squeaked. I wrapped an arm round her slight shoulders. She was seconds away from bursting into tears.

"I'm sorry Dad…" Jasper said

"Don't be son..it's a lot for the little girl to take in…and she…doesn't know me…"

Our tension as we entered the chapel, meant that none of us could do more than pay the smallest attention to the rich deep tones of the pipe organ, which combined in perfect harmony with the pure sweet voices of the boys choir that were singing from a position high up in the cloisters, to fill the ornate chapel with the most beautiful sound. A sound, which Danni added to when she realized that her much loved and sucked Tigger toy was missing.

"We must have dropped it in the garden…" Jasper hissed.

"Do you have a pacifier?" Olivia asked

"Doesn't work." Alice replied

"I'll go see if I can find it.." Senator Whitlock whispered jumping up from his seat and heading quickly back down the aisle.

In the ten minutes he was away, the cranky and increasingly loud Danni, made away along the laps of those of us in the front pew including surprisingly Olivia's, although we weren't sure if that wasn't just because her attention was momentarily caught by Olivia's necklace. Thankfully, the chaplain was a man who had done many Christening's over the years and he simply carried on his sermon, pausing only briefly when Danni stopped chewing on Emmett's finger to let out a particularly loud squeal, when Senator Whitlock returned carrying Tigger. But instead of just handing it to her as he expected, the Senator found himself with a very happy granddaughter sat on his lap, sucking on a tigger toy, whilst fixing him with an intense stare for a long moment, before gracing him with a truly angelic smile of thanks.

The rest of the service passed without incident, Danni was even quite when the chaplain poured the water on her head, but it was fair to say everyone was glad when it was all over. Guests stopped by to sympathise and assure Alice that it had been a lovely service, but the poor pixie's nerves were shattered.

"Look at her…not a care in the world…of all the days she had to demonstrate that she has my dramatic temperament, she had to choose today" she sighed as she collapsed into the chair beside me, placing Danni who was now asleep in her car seat, on the table infront of us. We had moved from the chapel, across to one of the House of Lord's banqueting rooms for the reception. It wasn't one of the largest rooms, but the high vaulted ceilings and large windows did make it feel a little intimidating. That was Alice and the Hugo, the Houses' private functions manager, had put their incredibly creative heads together. The room was now elegant, but welcoming and would be made even more so later in the evening, when the Irish band that played at our wedding, took over from the classical string quartet.

"Alice..it was a lovely service…"

"I hope you know that Alexander's favourite toys will get their own arm guards on special occasions…" Carlisle teased as he came to sit on my other side.

"See..it was a…" Alice began to wail

"A joke Al…it's been a wonderful day. And look what Tigger going AWOL did. The Senator is still smiling…and he, Danny, Embry and Jasper are over there discussing the pro's and cons of buying her a pony…"

"WHAT?" Alice screeched, shooting out of her chair and across the room as if she'd been fired from a gun.

"Jasper is soooo going to thankyou for that later." I said sarcastically.

"It was Jasper's idea. Apparently, part of the reason he was so keen to go to the Harrowview Fair, was so that he could take one of the horses out. He's missed it." Carlisle chuckled.

"What about you? I know you used to ride…" I said, hoping the blush I could feel heating my skin wasn't actually visible as I remembered what had happened the last time Carlisle and I had gone riding at Harrowview. But it seemed his mind had gone to the same place. He leant into me, tucking one of my stray curls behind my ear.

"I do miss it, but I'd much rather wait till you can come with me." He growled lowly in my ear.

"I'll be there when you get back…and if I remember rightly, you never did give me a proper tour of the stables…"


	35. Chapter 35

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**I hope you all, had a great New Year. This is another chapter of; relationship, baby, slightly lemony fluff, shot through with a little bit of angst. This is me after all. There will be one more chapter like this, before the sequel, which is still having a few probs. I just wanted to give you something, to thank you, for your incredible support. And to give those, who wanted some more Carlisle and Esme as a couple, what they wanted. You guys are really amazing..Thankyou. I hope you can find something to enjoy **

**ESME POV**

The blonde giraffe had the two minutes it would take me to ease through the crowd of people, before I twisted her into a pretzel.

Carlisle I would deal with later.

She had her hand, with its expensively polished claws, on my husband's arm and her tits in his face…and he was letting her.

We were in an art gallery, not a night club. What possible reason did the blonde giraffe, with her glossy hair that was all bouncy and not damp with sweat, her never ending legs, non swollen feet that were wearing pretty shoes, have for having her hand on MY HUSBAND'S ARM? I raged to myself silently

And why was he letting her?

Carlisle and I were doing, what we did most days now we both had the time. We were enjoying being together as a couple, catching up on all the places, things we wanted to do, but were unable to do because of work. One of those places had been the national portrait gallery. We had been having a leisurely wander when I had needed the bathroom…again. I could see that Carlisle, who had been far more informative about some of the pictures we had seen than the guide, was really entranced by the pictures in the room we were in. It was a real rarity apparently, that the artist who painted it had hated and tried to destroy, in the museum, infront of a crowd of influential critics. Thankfully, the artist, who was coming down from a particularly bad LSD trip had been stopped and the painting saved.

Carlisle had only been a teenager when it happened, but he remembered the story clearly, as did the room's rather elderly looking security guard, who had been on duty at the time and was thrilled to share his story with Carlisle. I had left the two men talking, to go and use the bathroom.

I was gone no more than five…okay nearer ten minutes. The stairs were hard work in the heat. I arrived back on the first floor feeling, hot, sweaty and cranky.

I tried telling myself to try and calm down, that there was bound to be an explanation. But my raging hormones were screaming louder than my inner voice.

"Carlisle…" I snapped as I finally approached them. Carlisle spun round.

"Are you alright? I was getting a little worried…" he said

"Not that worried, or else you would have come looking for me…"

"I'm sorry when I get talking, I just rabbit on…you have, to be Mae…" the giraffe trilled, flashing me a toothy smile, that made me want to vomit.

"And you are?" I said, hearing the iciness in my own voice.

"This is Belinda, we were at university together…" Carlisle replied tightly. I knew I was being rude, but I just couldn't stop myself.

"Well I'm sorry, but I'm feeling a little tired, so you'll have to cut short your little reunion…and take your hand off my husband's arm."

"MAE!" Carlisle snapped.

"It's fine Carlisle…I carried Harry during the summer, the heat made me extra sensitive as well…"

The Giraffe was patronizing me…and Carlisle was just standing there, lapping up her sympathetic smiles.

"What…the hell was that all about?" Carlisle hissed as he took my arm and lead me towards the bench that ran down the centre of the room after Belinda had left us.

"You said you were tired…" he said in answer to my confused look.

"She, was touching you…your arm…I don't like other women, touching my husband…" I hissed back.

Carlisle let out a sharp bark of laughter, that caused several people to look at us.

"Don't you laugh at me Carlisle Cullen…"

"I'm sorry, but you're being ridiculous Mae. Belinda is just one of those people…"

"Just like you, are one of those men, who just stand back and let your pregnant wife be humiliated by another woman…" I said. My voice was embarrassingly loud in the quiet room and I could see that Carlisle was becoming embarrassed and slightly annoyed. But that only made me want to punch him harder…before breaking down and crying.

God, it really was hot in here…and I could feel hot angry tears pricking painfully at my eyes.

"Where are you going?" Carlisle demanded as he followed me from the room.

"HOME! Maybe you can find Belinda, and carry on your little reunion…" I sneered without turning round.

"Good Idea…it would be nice, to have some polite, adult conversation, that's what I came here for after all…" Carlisle shot back. And as I reached the top of the stairs, I saw him stalk back through the amused crowds and into one of the rooms.

"MAE? IS THAT YOU? ARE YOU OK? WHERE ARE YOU?" a frantic sounding Emmett demanded six hours later. I had left the gallery stunned by Carlisle's actions. That shock had quickly worn off however, and I had exclaimed "Screw you Carlisle Cullen" loudly enough, to frighten the driver of the cab I had managed to hail. Instead of going home as planned, I had diverted to the nearest shopping center, where I had devoured some fast food, before settling into a double feature of…I wasn't actually sure, at the center's Cineplex

Now though, I was exhausted both physically and emotionally, I couldn't get a cab, and all I wanted to do was go home…to my Carlisle. I had been such a bitch…Jasper was working, it was Danni's bed time…and I knew that Emmett would be home, as Rose was working night shift at the lab.

"The Cineplex on Morton High Street…Emmett, why are shouting?"

"Because after giving you a couple of hours to cool off, Carlisle has been calling me, Alice, Rose, Bella, Edward… hell, everyone we know, every ten minutes, for the last FOUR HOURS…Jesus Mae…I thought Rosie and I could fight…"

"Are you alright?" Carlisle asked quietly half an hour later, when I stepped through the door of the apartment. He was standing in the doorway to the balcony. His hair was almost standing on end, from where he had obviously run his hands through it in frustration…in worry.

I nodded. "Just tired"

It was his turn to nod. "It's, been a long day…are you hungry?"

My growling stomach answered for me.

"I'll make you something, whilst you have a shower…" Carlisle said moving towards the kitchen, without looking at me."

"I'm sorry Carlisle…" I whispered as I hurried through the lounge, determined not to let him see me fall apart again. I made it as far as the bedroom, before I collapsed on the side of the bed and began to cry again.

I wasn't sure how long I was there, before I caught sight of a white handkerchief being waved somewhere to my left. I turned my head, to see Carlisle walking towards me.

"What the hell is happening to me Carlisle? I know I'm a jealous person…where you're concerned, but I've never been crazy jealous…in public…I'm not Alice…" I hiccoughed staring down at the floor. Alice had poured a pint of beer over Jasper's head in the pub one night, when she was convinced he was flirting with a new barmaid.

"Thank god…" he chuckled softly as he sat down next to me, handing me the much needed handkerchief. I took it, but was still unable to look at him.

"I promise Mae, you had nothing to be jealous of…Belinda really is, just one of those people who like to touch people when they talk…I didn't even notice till you pointed it out."

I couldn't suppress, the less than attractive snort of laughter that escaped me. I turned to look at him now, he was holding his hands up in defense.

"A pretty, cool, thin woman had her hand on your arm, her breasts in your face…as she probably, made incredibly intelligent and funny conversation and you didn't notice? If I were a man and faced with that, or the cranky, sweaty fat lump I am…"

"Maybe some men would…but not this man Mae…this man, was, is always incredibly proud of being seen with his beautiful wife…who is not fat, but pleasantly rounded, with his child.…" Carlisle said sincerely. Another strange noise escaped me, as I half laughed and half cried at Carlisle's words.

"Now if you'd have just said that…"

"Uh…you didn't give me a chance to say anything…at the gallery, or when I got home and almost had a heart attack. I knew I had to give you chance to calm down, I needed it too…but then when you didn't come back…I panicked. Jasper was all set to issue your description to the officers on night duty…" Carlisle exclaimed, his hand running through his hair once more. I could see in his face, that he had been truly scared and that, caused me to start crying once more.

"I'm sorry Carlisle, really…truly…I just feel…so out of control sometimes. I knew my body would change, but I didn't know my mind, would go so crazy as well…I thought what Alice went through, well…I thought a lot of it, was just Alice…but it's not…I'm going crazy too…and it's scary…" I wailed.

Carlisle didn't say anything, I'm not sure he knew what to say, and it probably wouldn't have helped. Instead, he simply wrapped me up in his arms, allowing me to bury my head in his neck and take deep, ragged breaths of his wonderfully calming scent. Clean linen, vanilla, musk, cigarettes, slight sweat and cigarettes, whilst my hands gripped the front of his shirt tightly. I wasn't sure how long we sat there, I didn't care, I felt calmer, safer than I had done all day.

"That feels good" I sighed as his hand, gently massaged my lower back, which was aching from the hard cinema seats.

"You must be exhausted…" he breathed into my hair, increasing his pressure slightly, earning himself another deep sigh for me.

"Why don't you go have a shower, I'll finish making us both something to eat, then we could have an early night…I'll give your back a proper rub…feet too…"he grinned.

"Carlisle, I was a horrible bitch…"

"Yes, but I didn't help things, by calling you ridiculous and laughing. I was embarrassed and a little hurt, but I shouldn't have stormed off…you couldn't help it, you're not yourself…I mean, you haven't got your usual energy to deal with how we fight…I mean.." Carlisle mumbled desperately.

"I know what you mean Carlisle…" I said, my hand reaching out to rub his arm, before I stroked his rough cheek. But that's what scares me too…what if I change too much. I mean I know I wanted this…more than anything, our home, our baby…our life. But, you'll be going back to that life soon…as you should…what if we lose that bond…our work connection…what if…you feel that you can't talk to me about cases, what if I lose my edge and am no good if you do…I love our connection, I don't want you, to hate coming home to hear about boring domestic stuff…I don't want you getting bored…because you could…" I babbled.

Where the hell had all that come from?

"So there it is…" Carlisle said finally.

"What?"

"I knew, there had to be more than just hormones behind this. You've been strange for a couple of days. Mae…sweetheart, you and I…we will never, ever lose our professional connection, as much as a part of me…a very small part, wishes we could. I hate the fact that you've seen, done so much…some of the worst with, or because of me. But that part is drowned out, by the part that knows, I could not, do my job as well as I do without you. We as a team, what we can achieve, the people we help…makes me so damn proud. You may be in Mummy mode for awhile baby, but you've earned this break…we both have. Yeah, there may be days when I come home a bit stressed, but I promise, it'll never be something that can't be fixed by seeing, spending time with you and our son." Carlisle said running his free hand gently over my stomach. "We've wanted this for so long Mae…please darling, don't let these worries spoil it. Because I can honestly swear, we could have half a dozen kids, the house could be a war zone…I will never…ever…be bored of my life with you and our children…or of you." Carlisle breathed, shifting himself closer towards me, as he tilted his forehead against mine and gazed into my eyes. We were so close, we were practically sharing the same breath, I could taste him, on my tounge.

"You Mrs Cullen…own me…mind, body and soul…" he said, brushing his lips lightly over my own.

" Even when I'm crazy jealous…" I chuckled softly.

"Especially, when you're crazy jealous sweetheart…when I had chance to think about it, I realized that seeing you, so jealous…so riled, when you thought Belinda was hitting on me…was very sexy." Carlisle growled lowly, pressing his lips to mine. I whimpered softly as my arms slipped round his neck, my hands finding their way into his hair. It was his turn to whimper, as I sucked gently on his sensitive lower lip.

"Other women…they can look…I mean…you'd..have to be dead not too…but no one…touches…you're mine…" I growled round the edge of our kiss.

"It was my arm…" Carlisle chuckled softly.

"Don't care..arms, legs, chest…neck…" I breathed as I lowered my mouth, lying open mouthed kisses along the side of his neck. "Ears…" I whispered as I sucked gently on the soft skin behind his ear, causing him to moan lowly. "It's all…mine…"

"I…I'm not going to argue…just please Mae…no more running off…my heart couldn't take it…" Carlisle pleaded. I sat up.

" I promise, I'm sorry…I still have my handcuffs…maybe if you see me getting ready to run…" I teased, desperate to take the scared look from his face.

" Handcuff's, now, why didn't I think of that?" Carlisle said thoughtfully, a strange smile lightening up his face.

"Carlisle…" I said warily.

" Yes my darling? Now, you need a shower, I need to finish making us some food…and make a phone call

Despite my numerous attempts to discover what he was up to, Carlisle would not tell me anymore about whatever he had planned for us with handcuffs. Apart from the fact, it would require him going out for a couple of hours in the morning. That made me even more curious, but tiredness and sheer bliss when he took my tired and aching feet onto his lap, and began to do the most wonderful things with them, meant that I didn't, couldn't push him about his plans. And as it turned out, I was so tired, I slept through his time out of the apartment, only waking when he bought me breakfast in bed.

As much I was more than ready to eat, there wasn't a hope in hell of me doing so until I knew why the hell he looked so pale and sick.

"I'm alright…" he argued as I demanded to know what was wrong. But the hiss of pain he let out when he came to sit on the side of the bed, and the small white bandage I saw poking above the waistband of his shorts, told me otherwise.

"Carlisle, you have thirty seconds to get those shorts down, before I rip them down. What have you done?" I demanded.

"You'll need this first…" Carlisle sighed as he handed me a small box.

I opened it, to see a small silver key on a chain. Even more confused, I looked at him.

"God I hope you like it, it seemed like a good idea at the time…" Carlisle winced as he slipped his shorts down.

"A tattoo…" I squeaked. I quickly swung my legs out of bed and pulled Carlisle forward to stand between them.

There on Carlisle's hip was a tattoo, of small pair of handcuffs. Our names were written on each cuff, but I couldn't quite make out the words that were entwined to make the links of the chains between the cuffs. Carlisle's poor skin was still too red and sore.

"Mind…body..and soul…the ways you own me…you have the only key…" Carlisle said roughly

"Oh Carlisle…it's beautiful…does it hurt a lot baby?" I asked looking up at him.

"Yes…" Carlisle pouted, sighing as my fingers ghosted gently over the skin, before I recovered it and lay a soft kiss on the dressing. "But I will deny that…" he chuckled softly.

"My brave…sexy man…" I breathed, laying a kiss to his opposite bare hip. "Thank you baby…" I said, laying another kiss, to his lower stomach.

"Mae…" Carlisle sighed.

"Mmmm…" I hummed, as I continued to kiss and gently suck at the skin from his hip and along his lower stomach, whilst I took his now twitching length in my hand and began to stroke him

"Mae…you need…to…eat…"Carlisle breathed. His hand was in my hair, twisting gently. I paused briefly in my ministrations, looking up at him from beneath my lashes, smiling cheekily.

"Oh god… Maaaaeee…" Carlisle moaned, as I replaced the strokes of my hand along his length, with strokes of my tounge, pausing to pay special attention to his sensitive tip. I couldn't help but moan as I tasted the fluid that had already began to gather there. The sensation made Carlisle moan once more, and the almost wanton sound ripped a moan from my own throat as I took him in my mouth.

My knowledge and ownership of Carlisle's body meant, that I knew exactly how much pressure and how long it would take to bring Carlisle to the edge. Whilst he knew, that I would hold back from doing was necessary, until he asked…or to be more accurate, begged me too. Whilst Carlisle was always eager to give me pleasure, he found it harder to receive it. It was nothing to do with my technique he was quick to assure me, it was just a trust issue he had always had trouble with. Time, patience and love had helped.

"You…only…you…no one else…makes me feel this good…" Carlisle babbled. His ragged breathing, his hand tightening in my hair and his trembling legs told me he was close. But I still waited until he gasped

"Please Mae…faster baby…please…"

Humming against his length, I added one hand to the motion of his mouth, whilst I reached back and gently tugged on his balls.

"Mae…I…I…"

The long, low, deep moan that followed as Carlisle came, was one of the sexiest sounds I had ever heard. Cleaning him up, I lay a kiss on his stomach, before resting my chin on it and gazing up at him.

"Thankyou baby…does it still hurt?" I asked

" Does what, still hurt?" Carlisle asked confusedly.

"Carlisle…can we make a detour on the way home?" I asked as he pulled the car to a halt in the car park behind the doctor's office.

"Sure… where?" Carlisle asked as he held open my door.

"The London Mayor's office. I want to arrest him, for causing me and AJ grievous bodily harm. Going down THREE roads full of pot holes, when you have forced gallons of water into your tiny bladder, is agony!" I growled.

The only sounds in the small dimly lit room, was the strong, but rapid thump of AJ's heartbeat as it echoed through the monitor, the slight squelch of the probe the sonographer was moving across my stomach, followed by the scratch of her pen as she wrote down whatever it was she saw on my chart. Carlisle and I were both silent, I wasn't sure we were even breathing as we waited for her to tell us that everything was alright and that our precious boy was developing normally. Dr Gerandy, my OBGYN knew that my having an amniocentesis test to check for abnormalities or illness was not even an option. It would be a more accurate test than just a scan alone, but neither Carlisle, nor I wanted to take even the smallest risk of losing him, so we had agreed on a more detailed scans and bloodwork, to check his development. We had discussed the pro's and cons for hours, days. My age meant that I was in a slightly higher risk category, but we both knew that even if AJ did have a health problem of any kind, it would not affect how much we loved and wanted him.

"Right, I've seen everything I need to…" Lucy the sonographer said brightly.

"Is he…is everything ok?" Carlisle asked quietly, telling from the vice like grip I had on his hand, I was unable to.

"Everything is perfect…baby is developing exactly as he should for this stage."

"There aren't any…abnormalities…" Carlisle said.

"No…I double checked everything." She said smiling.

"You're sure?" I finally managed to whisper.

"Yes Mrs Cullen…your baby is perfect…" she said giving my other hand a reassuring pat. Because of my history and our fears, Dr Gerandy had deliberately assigned us her most experienced and it felt like kindest staff. My ragged tear filled hiccough echoed embarrassingly loudly in the small room.

"I'm sorry…" I mumbled. Carlisle raised our tightly joined hands to his lips.

"Don't be…now let me get you some tissues…" she said going to rise from her chair.

"It's alright…" Carlisle said as he pulled one of the handkerchief's I loved and teased him about from his pocket. I hiccoughed again, but this, time in laughter.

"Now, Mr Cullen called baby he…would you like to know for definite?" she asked.

"Yes." Carlisle and I said in unison and so intensely, that Lucy sat back a little in her chair. "Well…you were right Mr Cullen…baby Cullen is most definitely going to be a boy…who by the looks of things, would very much like to say hello." she said as she finally turned the monitor, she had kept facing her as she worked, round to face us.

Carlisle and I were vaguely aware, of hearing Lucy point out various things, but our attention and our hearts were entranced, by our first real sight of our son. The 4D scan meant, that as well as his body and his limbs…and it really did look like his tiny little arm was waving at us, we could see his face.

"Oh Carlisle…" I gasped, gripping his hand tightly once more. His features were obviously not fully formed, but I could see Carlisle's nose…my mouth…and what I swore was the start of a tiny little crease between his brows.

"Hello my beautiful boy…hello…" I breathed, my free hand unconsciously moving to my bump.

"Mr Cullen…are you alright?"

Lucy's words were the only thing that could have taken my eyes away from that screen. I turned my head. Carlisle was sat forward in his chair, our joined hands still raised, but he wasn't moving, I wasn't even sure if he was breathing. He was just staring at the screen, the most breathtakingly beautiful smile on his face.

"Carlisle…" I said gently. "Carlisle…" I repeated, a little louder and more firmly. It took a minute, but finally he looked at me.

"That's my son…"he finally stammered.

"Yes darling…" I laughed.

"I'll just go and get him a glass of water…and possibly a paper bag…" Lucy said standing up. "try and stop the faint before it happens…"

"Faint…I thought that was meant to happen at the birth." I squeaked.

"You'd be surprised". she chuckled softly. "Although at the birth…I think, it might be best, if he stayed sitting as much as possible…less distance to fall."

"Carlisle…sweetheart…" I said reaching with my free hand, to stroke his face. It seemed my touch, seemed to pull him from his trance. He caught my hand with his own, before gazing down at me, with a look that made me glad I was lying down.

"Hi…" I said softly.

"Hi…I'm sorry, it's just this feels…I have dreamt about this moment for so long…I mean, we both have…but now, he's moving…and we can see him…he has your mouth…" Carlisle said in awe.

"He has your nose…" I giggled

"He can still grow out of that…" Carlisle replied seriously.

"You have a lovely nose." I countered.

We looked at each other and laughed. God, if we were both this bad now, we'd both be hopeless messes when AJ was actually physically in front of us, to see..to touch. But we couldn't help ourselves. We were, just so damn happy and excited.

"I love you…" Carlisle sighed happily as he leant over to kiss me.

"Should we be doing this in front of the baby?" I giggled.

" I love my son dearly, but not even he, will ever be able to stop me kissing you…" Carlisle growled.

I was unable to stop my sharp intake of breath, or my hands flying protectively across my bump, as our car crested the hill and I saw Harrowview for the first time. I had been back there since the night of the fire. Before our wedding and for a couple of weekends with Carlisle, I had been determined not to give Jane the satisfaction of scaring me from beyond the grave, but I had to admit to myself and Carlisle after our last visit, that I found it harder than I thought I would, even with everyone's love and support. We had not been back since. I had argued that Carlisle should go down by himself for weekends it was his home, that despite everything he still had some happy memories of, a lot of his memories of Aro especially seemed to be linked to the house and the grounds. He had simply told me calmly, but firmly, that Harrowview was Edward's house now and whilst he did love it and some, of the memories associated with it, after everything that had happened there, it was and would never truly be his home anymore…that his home, was wherever I was.

I loved him for his words, his support and understanding, but there was still a part of me that felt guilty, especially about leaving Edward to deal with all the practicalities of the substantial repair work that had been needed following the fire. He had thanked me for my concern, but admitted that alongside Bella's love and support, having the house and lands to care for, develop, to move positively into the future, was the best therapy he could ever have. He was finally able to feel like he had a purpose and a place. He was no longer the "spare", Carlisle's brother, "young master Edward". He was finally Edward Cullen a respected man in his own right. But he and the village, needed time for that to happen without Carlisle. I knew though from speaking to him over the last few weeks, that now was the time, he needed his brother, almost as much as his brother needed him.

"Mae?" Carlisle asked, turning his head to look at me.

"It's nothing…"

"I can still turn round, take us home…"

"We're almost there…" I scoffed.

He fixed me with a hard stare, that told me in no uncertain terms, that he didn't give a damn about that.

"It's just been awhile…I'll be fine…" I said with more confidence than I felt.

"Perfect timing as always brother…when all the hard work is done…" Edward growled playfully. "Mae…you are…glowing…" he said sweetly, as he helped me out of the car.

We had arrived in Harrowview the day before the fair, to find all the various tents and stands set up and simply awaiting the crowds that would gather the following day.

" I would have only slowed you down little brother…things are looking good." Carlisle said coming round the car to us. His still anxious glance at me was far from subtle.

"Always with the tone of surprise…" I rebuked Carlisle playfully

"Thank you Mae…I did learn a few things about organization and man management in the army…"

"Really? And there was me thinking all it taught you was how to swear like trooper, drink like a fish and look pretty in your shiny uniform…" Carlisle taunted.

"At least my, uniform doesn't look like someone's thrown up scrambled eggs all over it." Edward replied. Because of his rank, Carlisle's dress uniform did have a lot of braid, that did look like scrambled egg, especially on his cap.

The two brothers were now standing toe, to toe each trying to look more imperious than the other. It lasted a long moment, before Edward cracked and wrapped Carlisle in a warm, hard hug that Carlisle returned happily.

"Hello big brother…" Edward said happily, when they pulled away.

"Hello, little brother…" Carlisle replied.

"WHAT, have you two been doing to poor Mae?" Sue's loud and unexpected voice coming from behind us, made all three of us jump. She was quickly followed down the front steps by Alice.

Edward and Carlisle sprung apart like a pair of naughty ten year olds, looking confusedly between Sue and then me.

"Oh god Mae, I'm sorry…I didn't mean to make you cry…" Edward stammered, a hot pink blush flushing his cheeks as he ran a hand nervously through his hair.

Me crying? I only remembered feeling incredibly happy, at seeing the two brothers teasing each other

"They were teasing…Edward said…it looked like someone… threw up over Carlisle…it was so sweeeet…then they hugged and…and " I wailed.

What the hell was happening to me?

"And it was the most beautiful thing, you ever saw…" Alice said sweetly, as she came and wrapped her arm round me.

I nodded. "So why?" I began

"Because your hormones are all over the place sweetheart, Jasper came home once to find me in a hysterical mess over 101 Dalmations…and when did you last eat?" Alice asked, gently rubbing my back.

"We ate before we left…" Carlisle said.

"WHAT? That's like forever in pregnant lady time! Come on Mae…" Alice cooed as she led me past a sheepish looking Carlisle and Edward. Before I disappeared into the kitchen, I heard a, cackling Jasper, announce that Carlisle hadn't "seen anything yet".

A trip to the bathroom, some food and some girl talk with Alice, Rose, Bella and Sue soon had me calmed down and feeling better, about Carlisle and Edward at least.

Despite his limitations, Edward had remodeled Harrowview until it had looked like a completely different house. It was lighter, warmer, friendlier, had a feeling of being a home. So, why the hell, couldn't settle? Why were my hands, almost glued protectively over my stomach, when they weren't wrapped around Carlisle?

"I had the place excorsised, Priest, Buddist Monk…you name it, I had them in here…try and rid the place of her…her evil." Edward said later that night, when he came to join me in a slow walk around the garden. Stretching my legs, followed by a soak in the tub seemed to help my aching back and slight sciatica.

"But do you know what finally made me feel safe here? What gave this place back it's life? The kids that come for the adventure weekends…and Bella, her life, her energy. Seeing how much she loved this place…how she wasn't afraid…that and rechristening every room …" Edward chuckled. "Please, don't tell Bella I told you that…but taking back this house…making it ours, filling it with all the things she hated…pushing her, her memory out…I know it may be harder for you Mae, that you may never truly feel safe here…but this isn't her house anymore…it's mine, yours, Carlisle's, Danni's…AJ's…" he said laying a hand on my bump "Harper's when she comes…my kids when they come along…Rose and Emmett's…this house is a family house. And, we may not be blood, but we, for all our craziness and faults…we are a family…who loves you very much…and will never, let anyone hurt you…ever again…although, Alice, quickly followed by Carlisle, may want to hurt me, when they see that I've made you cry…" Edward babbled, his handsome face terrified, as he saw me dabbing frantically at the tears coursing down my cheeks.

"They'll have to get through me first…" I growled.


	36. Chapter 36

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; As always, you guys are amazing with the support you show this story and me. Thankyou so very much. Lemon warning.**

**This chap is dedicated to Jule Whatev. Couldn't do it without you x**

**ESME POV**

"So you'll be having the baby in with you for the first six months?"

"Yes…"I stammered, slightly taken aback by the unexpected question and his sharp questioning tone.

"Crib? or Moses basket?"

"Moses basket…"

"That's good, and you'll be breast feeding?"

"Err yes…"

"On demand or every four hours?"

"I…I don't know…"

"You should really think about it, four hours is probably best…get him into a routine…have you thought about a birth plan?"

"Yes, as many drugs as possible…" I joked.

"Epidural does make things a bit easier it's true, but I wouldn't let that stop you taking Le Mars classes…breathing is very important…you're very fit Mae, so your muscles may take a little longer to stretch, you may need some breathing exercises to help you focus…that, and maybe a birthing ball"

"Okaaaaay…"I whimpered.

"Carlisle can help you with the breathing…if he sits behind you, braces your body against his, or if you position yourself like this…

"Mae, we were going to get some fresh air…but if you're busy…" Alice began as she burst into the lounge at Harrowview. The little pixie turned almost puce in the face, as she tried not to laugh, at the sight of Emmett on the floor, his legs raised as if he were about to give birth.

"NO, FRESH AIR WOULD BE…really, really good…" I said quickly, beseeching her with my eyes, to take pity and help me up from the ridiculously squishy sofa I had made the mistake of sitting in.

"If you're sure…"

My answering growl had her rushing over, and lifting me with freakishly strong arms for one so small, back onto my feet.

"But… we haven't been through the breathing yet. I've been practicing…" Emmett said, pouting in an adorably childlike, but ever so slightly worrying way.

"How about you and I, go put some more ice, on that ankle of yours…and maybe in a few other places…" we heard Rose, coo to Emmett as we hurried through the door.

"Believe it or not, the big old bear is only trying to help. He feels guilty that he wasn't around much during my pregnancy…and like the rest of us, all he wants to do, is make sure, you enjoy every minute of this pregnancy honey…" Alice said after she, Bella and Rose, who had been waiting outside the door, recovered from our explosion, of not so silent laughter. Emmett had he always did at the Harrowview fair, joined the Irish dancing display team, showing off some truly impressive footwork. However, one of the primary school gymnasts, who had been on the stage just before, having an unseen little accident, meant that Emmett's Michael Flatley impression, had taken a more literal meaning, with Emmett skidding across the stage and landing heavily on his ankle. It had meant that he had been unable to join Edward, Jasper and Carlisle when they took three of Harrowviews horses, out for a ride round the land. Instead, Emmett had hobbled into the lounge where I was reading a magazine and sheltering from the increasing summer heat.

"I know…and I love you all for it, it's just Em, kinda freaked me out about how much is actually involved, what I have to do…what I have to plan…"

"Sweetie, there is still plenty of time…I'll help you. But what you need to worry about first of all, is getting settled in that beautiful new house of yours." Alice said, giving my arm a comforting squeeze as we made our way down the front steps.

"It is a beautiful house isn't it…" I sighed happily.

"A real family home…" Bella smiled.

" Wouldn't have found it without Danielle's help. I kind of liked the second one we saw, but she wasn't having it…wouldn't settle till we were in our house."

"That's my girl…" Alice said proudly.

"Our house…I have a house Al…a real house. No more apartments…I have space…lots of wonderful space…for my…family…" I sang happily.

"Yes, you do…but you still have to pack up your apartment. You may have plenty of time to plan little AJ's arrival, but you only have a week, before you have to move…"

"I know…but the movers Bella recommended seem reliable…"

"They are the best, all you need to do, is pack up any personal stuff, you want to take with you…they'll wrap and pack the rest…" Bella chipped in.

" Carlisle and I can manage that, but…I'm in no shape to be hanging drapes, or waiting around to let the carpet layers in..and Carlisle will be taking his first classes at the police academy this week…" I panicked.

"Rose and I are on that…and on Saturday, I'll stay at the apartment with Carlisle to oversee things that end, whilst Rose, Edward, Jazzy and Supernanny in there, are at the new house with you…"

"Ladies…I hate to interrupt, but…I thought you may want to see…" Bella stammered, pointing vaguely towards the distance.

"Ride me cowboy…" Alice moaned.

I was incapable of saying anything, as I took in the sight of Jasper, Carlisle and Edward bringing their horses into line on the crest of the large hill, that overlooked the house.

"They're going to race…" Alice squeaked.

And she was right. After a moment of what looked like teasing banter, that we were too far away to hear, the three of them began thundering towards us.

Thankyou God, for not letting me take my glasses off after Emmett had interrupted my reading. My light sensitive lenses, which became darker when I was in bright sunlight for any period of time, meant that I was able, despite the bright sunlight, to see his long, lean body clearly, most importantly, I was able to see, the hard muscles of his thighs and legs, stretching and flexing beneath his tanned skin as he fought to stay ahead of the others. Carlisle's horse Copper looked pretty impressive as well.

I don't think Alice, Bella or I, realized we had moved, with surprising speed, round the side of the house towards the stables where the boys were heading, until we heard them taunting each other and geeing up their mounts, their voices, carrying to us, on the slight breeze that drifted down off the hill.

"Come on Jazzy…" Alice screamed suddenly.

"Come on Edward…" Bella joined in.

The sudden screams, caused the boys to look up and slow, but only for a second. Before we knew it, the sound of thundering hooves and ragged breathing, from both horse and rider, was almost deafening.

"Show em how it's done baby…" I found myself screaming to Carlisle.

And ever eager, to never deny me what I wanted, Carlisle did just that. Lowering his head almost flat against his steeds, Carlisle used his incredibly strong thighs, to urge Copper into a final burst of speed, that saw him thunder into the yard, ahead of the others.

"Winner stables the horses and sorts out the tac…" Alice chirped

"Since when…" I choked grabbing her arm. Carlisle had dismounted, bathed in a sheen of sweat that caused his white Tshirt, to cling to him in a way, which coupled with the kiss for the winner he had demanded, had me desperate for us to go take a shower and a long, not at all restful nap.

"Since, my cowboy just informed me, that he is in desperate need of a good, hard rub down, and Carlisle suddenly remembered that he still, hasn't given you the tour of the new stables…and tac room, which just so happens, to be in the stable furthest away from the house…" Alice said with a truly filthy chuckle

I wasn't sure at first, if Carlisle's grunt was one of pleasure or pain as I lowered my not inconsiderable bulk onto his lap, straddling him. My worries were quickly forgotten however, as the combination of his hands gently kneading my swollen and sensitive breasts, whilst his dangerous mouth suckled and nipped at the over heated skin of my neck and collar bone, left me unable to think of anything but the intense pleasure coursing through me and my overwhelming need to be closer to, see more of, my incredibly sexy husband. Starting, with the hard planes of his torso that my hands were roaming wildly over, beneath his sweat soaked T-shirt.

"Off…" I mumbled round the edge of a hot, wet, messy kiss, tugging the material of his shirt upwards. Carlisle chuckled softly as he raised his arms. I heard the shirt land with a gentle thud somewhere behind him, but I didn't bother to look exactly where, my eyes were too busy devouring his tanned chest. Thanks to my increasing bump, I could not reach as much of him as I wanted and at this moment…that was really not a good thing.

"Mine…" I growled, before attacking his neck and sensitive collar bone with my mouth and teeth. Christ, any fatigue I may have been feeling earlier thanks to the extreme heat, had disappeared and had been replaced, by a hormonal driven second wind that saw me practically attacking poor Carlisle. I kind of knew I was acting crazy, but I didn't seem to be able to control my wandering hands or my mouth.

From the corner of my eye, I had noticed a single bead of sweat slowly trickling from behind Carlisle's ear and down his neck, I had watched transfixed for a moment, before moving forward and retracing it's route with my tounge, taking a moment to inhale deeply, Carlisle's scent, which seemed even more potent mixed with his sweat.

"All yours Mae…always…" Carlisle groaned as he let his head fall back, to give me better access.

"You smell…so good…and taste…amazing…" I breathed, sucking lightly on his skin, whilst my hands slipped down between us and raked over his upper chest. Carlisle's hiss of pleasure at the feel of my nails toying with his hardened nipple, was lost by the sound of my moan as he bucked his hips upwards against me.

**CARLISLE POV**

I was learning quickly, that Mae's hormones were…unpredictable, to say the least. And were only, according to Jasper, Alice, Sue, Embry, Claire, just about everybody, going to get worse. But if we could balance out the bad moments with intense, sexy as hell moments like this one, I would be a very happy man.

Experience had taught me, that whilst Mae enjoyed riding, she got more pleasure from seeing me ride, and it seemed that today, despite the extreme heat, was no exception. If anything, she seemed even more turned on than before and she had never looked more beautiful, with her ruffled hair, swollen lips and blossoming body spilling out of her white gypsy style dress, which I had quickly began to help her remove.

Adding that stunning vision, to the sound, of her softly moaning my name, whilst her soft hands and dangerous, hot mouth moved over my body, made me want her, badly. Which helped me, forget the irritating prickle of the bale of straw that I was leaning against. Unfortunately, her beautiful, blossoming body, meant that we wouldn't be able to get as close as we both wanted and needed to be, without being a little creative.

"Carlisle…please…I need you baby…" she whimpered, writhing on my lap, desperately trying to create some friction to ease the need I could see so clearly building within her.

I was being mean I know, but her swollen dark peaks were just too tempting to resist. Taking one in my mouth, I gently grazed it with my teeth, before soothing it with a swipe of my tounge, earning a wanton moan and an almost painful tugging on my hair, that caused me to growl against her hot, sensitive skin.

"Pleeeeease Carlisle…" Mae whimpered.

My pleasure at hearing her call my name, was almost outweighed by my hatred of hearing her beg like that.

"Maaeee…darling, you're…going to…have…to…stand…up…baby…" I groaned, brushing my lips over hers and down over her bare breasts and torso, whilst my hands caressed her hips, where her dress was bunched. It took Mae a few long moments to focus and understand my words, when she did, a slow, sultry smile twitched her lips, causing my arousal to twitch painfully.

"I'm all, for saving a horse and riding a cowboy…" she purred.

I couldn't help the groan that escaped me. It took a little maneuvering and more than a little laughter, but finally, with my help Mae managed to stand, allowing me to regain a little feeling in my legs.

" I bet…this…isn't what…you…had…in…mind…when…you suggested a…roll in…the hay…" Mae breathed into my neck, as she ran her hands down my back, slipping beneath the waistband of my cargo pants and squeezing my ass and thighs as she slipped them down.

"Nope" I growled as I ran my hands all over her body, slipping her dress the rest of the way down. "It's sooo much better…"

"Stunning…breathtaking…" I moaned as I took a step back, and took in the vision of my beautiful, naked, pregnant wife standing before me, sunlight bathing her beautiful body and hair in a warm glow.

I would suffer, for exposing my bare skin to straw and friction, but it was a pain I would suffer gladly, for the incredible feeling of Mae slowly slipping down over me, taking me deep inside her wet heat. I hated not being able to see her face. She was always so beautiful in that first moment when we joined together. Her face, bathed in lust, love and peace, everything that I myself felt. But the only comfortable way for us to be together, was for her to be on top, but facing away from me, meaning that her bump was not hindering our movements or being squashed.

"Carlisle…" Mae whimpered, obviously hating the sense of disconnection herself. I was sitting with my back against a bale of straw, but I pushed myself forward, wrapping an arm around her body and resting my head on her shoulder.

"I'm here my darling…right here…" I growled lowly, kissing her bare shoulders, before I began to thrust up into her.

There were no more words after that, just soft sighs, babbled words of love and need and the sound of skin on skin. Finally, after what felt like mere moments, Mae began to tense, her muscles clamping down hard around me. The roar I let loose as I fell over the edge with my beautiful wife, made me extremely glad that we were in the part of the stables far from the house.

**ESME POV**

"_I never had you down as a Lord" I had stammered_

"_I'm not yet, I hope I never will be…" Carlisle had sighed._

"_Vive La Republique huh?" _

" _Exactly"_

"_So, if you're not a Lord, what?"_

"_A Right Honourable…" Carlisle had muttered, an adorable blush flushing his cheeks_

"_So, the Right Honourable Carlisle Cullen, what does your entry in Debrett's say? Likes Polo, hunting and catching bad guys…" I had teased._

"_Something like that…but I haven't hunted in years…" Carlisle had laughed softly, letting me hear for the first time, the beautiful, deep, melodic sound that I loved so much._

"_A truly honourable, honourable…" I had said softly, stroking his hand that was lying along the back of the sofa._

"_If I was truly honourable, I wouldn't…do this…on a first date…" he had growled, before capturing my mouth in that first, sweet, tender, but incredibly passionate kiss._

"_It might not be honourable…_but it feels pretty damn right…" I sighed as I ran my hand over the back of the sofa I had sat on, that first date with Carlisle. I had been shocked when I came back, to see that apart from a few paintings, a new bed, a larger TV and some gym equipment, Carlisle had changed little about the apartment in the time we had been apart.

The sun was just beginning to rise over Tower Bridge, into another cloudless blue sky. It wouldn't be long, before the River and the roads below, would become a noisy hive of activity once more. And as much as I loved these sounds, I was glad of the silence as I wandered round the apartment. It gave me time to remember…the good and the bad that had happened to us here…

"_Please…please believe me, I didn't want to leave you…it was…the hardest thing…I have ever had to do Carlisle…"_

"_Then WHY? Why did you leave me standing at the altar Mae? WHY?"_

"_I WAS SCARED..."_

"_Of what? I thought you were happy? I thought…I thought you wanted a life with me…" Carlisle had demanded, almost ripping his hair out as he ran a hand through it. The look on his face…demanding, pleading, terrified, haunted, had almost broken my heart._

"_I didn't want to…I didn't want to…" I had sobbed_

"_Then WHY MAE? WHY?"_

"_I…I was pregnant…"_

The day had barely started, but the heat was already stifling, a suffocating blanket of heat. After pouring myself some juice, I wandered out onto the balcony, hoping to catch some of the breeze that often blew across the river.

"_You look…I can't, I can't lose another…have another dream…another baby taken from me, in another bathroom…I can't…" I had stammered, before running out here._

_I had been so sure, I didn't know how, still didn't, that I was pregnant, but as I had sat in that bathroom waiting…waiting for confirmation that I really was, finally, carrying the baby I…we so desperately wanted, I panicked. Jane's voice…"some women are just not meant to be mother's Mae dear…and I fear that you, are one of those women…when it comes to being mother to a child of breeding at least. You don't have the necessary skills, temprement…it wouldn't be fair on the poor child…I'm doing you a favour really" had echoed deafeningly in my ears._

"_Nothing has been taken away from us Mae…we've waited eight years…had more than our fair share of pain…and tears…but we, you…my beautiful, brave, amazing wife, has achieved the impossible. Made me love…adore you more than I do already…you are officially pregnant…" Carlisle had rasped, tears running unchecked down his face, which at the same time, was bathed in the most beautiful, loving smile._

_It had taken me several long moments to process Carlisle's words, but finally my pounding heart, which had felt like it was threatening to burst out of my chest, heard him. I was pregnant…I was carrying my Carlisle's baby inside me…I knew Carlisle wouldn't lie, not about this, but I couldn't stop myself…_

"_Are you sure?…" I had whispered, barely able to force the words out, through the tears that were threatening to choke me, with the ferocity with which they were falling._

"_All four tests were positive…" Carlisle had said, his thumbs moving across my cheeks, trying to remove the tears, I knew it caused him physical pain to see me shed, even in happiness. This man…my man, my Carlisle…I loved him so damn much…I remembered trying to tell him so, but stumbling on my words as the tears continued to fall, and because I was…overwhelmed, dazzled, by the adoration, happiness, excitement and true, all consuming, soul deep love that Carlisle had in his eyes as he looked at me, in that oh so precious moment…_

"Mae…Mae…sweetheart…are you alright?"

Carlisle's slightly frantic voice had pulled me from my reverie and made me jump. He was standing beside me, any vestiges of the sleep he had just woken from, gone as he looked at me, searching for the cause of my distress.

"I was…thinking…remembering…a lot has happened here…this house…this balcony…you told me…you told me…I was pregnant here…" I stammered wiping furiously and pointlessly, at the tears I could feel falling.

" Next to the moment, I finally heard you say I do…that was the happiest moment of my life…so far…the happiest, will obviously be…when I can finally see…hold my son…our son…" Carlisle said roughly, his own eyes shining with unshed tears as he gently, stroked my bump.

I couldn't help the snort, of very un lady like laughter, that escaped me, as I noticed he had a handkerchief in his hand.

"I've learnt the hard way, keep one on me at ALL times…if I don't use it to dry your tears, I can use it to mop up the blood, when you smack me in the mouth…"he replied with a teasing smile.

"I may handcuff you, throw you around and shout at you a bit…but I would never…damage that beautiful face…" I said with a soft laugh as I cupped his cheek in my hand.

"Well that's a relief" he chuckled.

"How could I risk it…I love the way you look at me, especially when you first wake up. You look so surprised, so happy to see me…every time…every time…" I breathed. Carlisle gave me a soft smile as he leant into my hand, covering it with his own.

" Well…there's a part of me, that just for a second, in that weird moment before I wake up properly, is always terrified that it all…you coming back to me…us getting married…our beautiful, beautiful boy, the new life we have to look forward to…in our new home…there's a part of me, that is convinced that's it's all been nothing but a dream. That I am really going to wake up on the sofa, in Alice's spare room…on the fucking floor…alone…." Carlisle rasped, the tears now running unchecked down his face.

My ragged, tear filled breath, caught noisily in my throat, as I saw my beautiful, brave husband admit his fears.

"It's not a dream Carlisle…you and I…us…our life… our future..it's all very, real. Cullen and Mae…we took them all on baby, we took them on and won…we've got our happy ever after. And although I am a little bit sad…and scared about moving, about being a good mom to our son…and our daughter when she arrives…I know I..we'll be fine…because I…Alexander, has you…your love, your strength to protect and guide us…okay…gimme the hanky my favourite boy scout…the hormonal pregnant lady has turned herself into a blubbing mess." I half hiccoughed, half laughed.

Carlisle did as I asked, before turning on his heel and disappearing inside. Before I had chance to call him, or worry, he was back, holding out his hands to me, as the song Jasper and I had written as a wedding, birthday present for him, what felt like a life time ago, echoed round the balcony.

"Dance with me…some of my favourite memories in this apartment, have been when I have been able to hold you and dance with you, here on this balcony. And there is no better song…our song…" he said lowly.

"I love you…" I whimpered as I walked towards my very own beautiful, flawed angel.

_Sometimes, I feel like the world is against me._

_The sound of your voice, baby that's what saves me._

_When we're together, I feel so unbreakable…_

_Cause it's us against the world, _

_You and me against them all_

_If you listen to these words, you'll know that we are standing tall…_

_I can't ever see the day, when I won't catch you when you fall…_

_Cause it's us against the world tonight…_

_They'll be days, _

_When we're on different sides,_

_But that doesn't last too long…_

_We'll find ways, to get it on track…_

_And know how to turn back on…_

_Sometimes, I feel like I can't keep it together…_

_Then you hold me close_

_And make it better_

_When I'm with you,_

_I can feel so unbreakable…_

It was a little awkward and we couldn't, get as close as we wanted thanks to my bump, but I had never felt so loved, as I listened to Carlisle crooning words of love to me, that beautiful summer morning.

_We're not going to break…_

_Cause we still believe_

I had written these words as part of a dream for our future, but now that future was about to finally, become a beautiful reality.

_We know what we've got…_

_And, we've got what we need…_

Carlisle, Alexander and I…the Cullen family, had a future and each other..and I couldn't wait for it to begin.


	37. Chapter 37

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; I'm not sure what to say about this chapter. It may, not be how some of you imagined things to happen, but I really hope, you can find something to enjoy.**

**Mae's dream is based on a real sweets advert here in the UK. I thought it was funny. And, if anyone has ever had to take strong meds, whilst ill, you know, you can have crazy dreams…or is that just me. Lol.**

**Again all, I can say is thankyou so much.**

**ESME POV**

_I was sitting by the door of an interrogation room, watching as Alexander, who was about seven maybe eight. God, he was the living image of Carlisle, tall, lean, blue eyed. The only difference was, that Alexander's hair was a mixture of my brunette and the coppery red colour that Carlisle had as a baby, and Edward kept and it was curly._

"_We know you ate the last chocolate biscuit Dad, make it easier on yourself…and sign the confession." Alexander said patiently to his father, who was sitting slumped on the other side of the table, a cocky smirk and a small chocolate stain plastered all over his place._

"_Alright…I'll sign your confession…" Carlisle said, picking up the piece of paper in front of him, glancing at it briefly, before proceeding to screw it up and use it to wipe the chocolate stain on his face._

_With a deep sigh and shake of his head, that was the mirror image of what I'd seen his father do so many times in difficult interrogations, Alexander rose to his feet, resting his hands on the table and leaning towards Carlisle._

"_You can't say I haven't tried to be nice…" Alex said, before turning to me._

"_Mum, can you ask Detective Marshall- Cullen to step in here please? " he said, giving me a sweet smile. Before I had chance to do as he asked, the door of the room was flung open, allowing a tiny, blonde, curly headed whirlwind to blow past me. _

_Slamming her tiny fists down heavily, on the table she could just about see over, my daughter…my little Harper, who I could just about make out, had my hazel eyes, which were blazing furiously in her little face, stared at her father._

"_Sign, the fession…" she lisped._

"_Alright! Alright…I'll sign…" Carlisle whimpered, shrinking back in his seat._

"Mae…Mae…sweetheart…wake up Mae…"

"Carlisle…you should sign the fession…Detective Marshall-Cullen is one tough cookie…" I half mumbled, half laughed. It took me several long moments after I opened my eyes, taking in the Quaker style furniture of our new bedroom and Carlisle's half amused, half confused face as he sat on the side of the bed gazing down at me, to realize I was actually awake.

"Hi…" I rasped.

"Hi…" Carlisle said softly, gently tucking my hair behind my ear.

"I…I was dreaming…"

"About chocolate biscuits and cookies by the sound of it…" Carlisle said smiling softly.

I laughed. "You, you ate the last chocolate biscuit…and our children weren't happy…"

"Oh really?"Carlisle laughed his face alive with genuine interest.

"Yep, was a case of good cop…Alex…and…"

"Slightly more direct…and hands on cop…"

"Well, that can only be my daughter…Detective Marshall-Cullen…who will obviously, inherit her mother's unique interrogation technique…"Carlisle chuckled.

"Watch it buddy, I may be the size of a baby whale and not feeling a hundred per cent, but I could still take you down…" I growled, playfully shoving his shoulder.

"Of that, I have no doubt my love…" Carlisle said with a smile, as he kissed me softly. "How are you, feeling darling? You still look so pale…" Carlisle said gently, his humour replaced with genuine concern.

"Doctor says I'm doing much better…you can check with Alice…my temperature has stayed down all day, the antibiotics are doing their job on the infection…the pain killers are making me have crazy dreams, but are helping with the pain…and Alexander is doing just fine. His big strong Cullen heart is beating strong and steady."I said, giving him a quick kiss, before attempting to push myself up into a more comfortable position.

"That's my boy…" Carlisle said quietly, as he gently stroked my huge bump. I had to laugh at Carlisle's face, as almost as if he was answering him, Alex shifted beneath Carlisle's hand. It had been happening for almost three months now, but Carlisle's reaction every time, was one of total wonder.

"So, how was your class Professor?" I asked, desperate to lighten Carlisle's concern. We had both been scared when I had become ill, almost overnight, with a fever, chills, even worse back pain than I had been enduring for most of my pregnancy and terrible pain when I passed water. But Dr Gerandy, who Carlisle in full Lord Cullen mode, had demanded pay me a home visit, at some ungodly early hour of the morning, had diagnosed a mild kidney infection, a common, but painful pregnancy related condition.

Carlisle had been all set to cancel the rest of his highly successful guest lectures at the police training school, until I had begged, Edward had reminded him that he still was a doctor, and the rest of our little family had taken it in turns, to watch over me, during the few hours Carlisle was away. And my doctor's appointment today, had shown that I really was doing much better. My exhaustion was a side effect of being ill, my medication and being eight months pregnant. I had been scared and felt like death warmed up, but I knew, that compared to a lot of women, I had had a really easy pregnancy, with only the usual morning sickness and a bad back, which had as much to do with some of my old battle scars, as it had me being pregnant.

"It went well I think. A real highlight was the raid video, where the recruits watched in awe… and I quote…"the, fucking hot Yank, who could arrest several of the recruits, any time they liked…" Carlisle chuckled.

"I'm sure Jasper will be thrilled, to hear he's still got it…" I teased.

"I'm sure he'd be thrilled, but I'm afraid, they were looking very much at you my love…" Carlisle said.

"Okay, how many of them did you give detention, and an impromptu lesson in effective prisoner restraint holds to?" I said, hoping the small smirk of satisfaction and slight blush, I felt heating my cheeks at Carlisle's revelation, were not visible. It was nice to know I still had it.

"Ah..and there was you, worrying that our professional bond, would disappear when we weren't working together. You've just proved, just how well you know me…" Carlisle smirked, as he disappeared into the bathroom.

"You didn't…Carlisle…"

"Sorry Mae, can't hear you…" I heard him chuckle over the sound of the running shower.

Hoisting myself awkwardly up of the bed, I padded to the bathroom door, stopping for a moment, to admire Carlisle's ass, in our large showers, glass door.

"Did you want something love?" Carlisle asked, slowing the flow of the water, but without turning round.

Yep, that bond was working just fine.

"I..I was going to ask, if you were hungry? All that extra -curricular activity must have made you hungry." I said weakly. I was so damn glad, that I hadn't gone for the frosted glass doors, preferring the look of the clear glass, with the tiled floor, overhead spotlights and large mirror and double sink, that took up most of one wall, of our ensuite.

"Starving, which is why, I ordered a Chinese to be delivered, on the way home…should be here in about ten minutes…"

"I really, reaaally, don't tell you often enough, just how much I love you…Or Alice, how much I love her inability, to keep her mouth shut…" I groaned in delight. I had mentioned to Alice, earlier in the afternoon, that for the first day in awhile I was really hungry, and craving Chinese food.

"So they were both cops?"

"Carlisle, it was a dream…"

"I know, but I'm hoping, that at least one of them will get a rewarding job. Dustman, pizza delivery guy…doctor, pathologist…I mean, how often do you see Emmett miserable? Maybe there is something, in cutting people open?"

"Carlisle…"I huffed, poking him, with one of my feet, which were in his lap being massaged, as we lay on the sofa after dinner.

"Sorry…sorry, maybe when they are old enough, being a policeman, or woman, won't be a job that turns you into a well meaning, but prematurely cynical, frustrated pen pusher." Carlisle sighed, leaning his head back against the cushions of our large, deep sofa.

"I thought you were enjoying your teaching baby…" I said.

"I am, I'm enjoying the new challenge, but sometimes when I see just how young some of the recruits are, how enthusiastic, how idealistic…it just makes me sad, that they are going to have so much knocked out of them…"

"And you know, as well as I do, the knocks, the run ins with the twisted and devious…both in the job and out…" I chuckled humourlessly, "they're what make you the better, sharper on the street. And there is no one better, or sharper than you baby…maybe apart from me. What you can do, is teach them how to deal with, rise above those knocks, help them keep the compassion and hunger they need, to do a job that will always need doing. And, whilst I don't like the idea, of either of my kids facing the dangers we've had to…I've kinda resolved myself, to a least one of them, following in our footsteps…" I said seriously.

"You do realize, that cops kids are notorious for getting into trouble. Shoplifting, fighting, underage drinking, smoking, drugs…"

"OKAY, that does it. Both Alexander and Harper, won't have careers, we'll just let them be trust fund brats…" I exclaimed.

"OVER MY DEAD BODY! I would rather Harper became the first female Police Commissioner and Alex, becomes the head of SWAT…My son and later my daughter, will be useful, productive members of society. Although, it could still be cool, to have a pathologist in the family. Emmett would be thrilled…"

"Sounds like a little you might actually regret, not following Edward and your Dad into medicine…"

"Naa, was hopeless at science…"

" Anyway, Alice has already, placed Alex down for an internship at Tiffany…"

"Alex? Not Harper?"

"No…apparently, Harper is going to join Danielle, in running Danny's gym when he retires. They are going to take on the world of boxing…"

"WHAT? As if I'm going to let my little girl, be around all those men…not that she won't be able to handle herself. I just know what men…what fighters, who have been forced to abstain whilst training, think…I don't want some sweaty lump, looking at my daughter like that."

"Well, if Harper takes after me, as much as you, think she will…it could be the other way around. I seem to remember, I was quite turned on by the whole boxing gym scene…" I purred.

"That does it…I'm putting her name down for the Police Academy, first thing in the morning…" Carlisle growled, fixing me with a look, that in other circumstances, would have had me launching myself at him.

"That leaves…this young man…" I giggled, resting my hands on my stomach. "He could be a humanitarian…work for charities…go into business…" I offered.

"True…or, with your looks…and my charm, he could be an actor…"

" He could, the next generations George Clooney…" I mused.

"Or, he could take after you…and be an artist…" Carlisle said quietly, his hand absently stroking my leg.

"I'm not an artist…" I huffed.

"No love, you're a genius…what you've done to this house…look around you Mae…you've made us a home…" Carlisle said softly.

"You like it…" I said shyly. We had only been moved in three months, and still had a guest room full of boxes that needed unpacking, but I had really tried to as Carlisle said, make us a home. The downstairs was a mixture of wood floors, large comfortable furniture and bright, but warm colours. I had also made a feature of the beautiful fireplace we had in the lounge, placing a sofa and a plush rug, which when I had full control of body once more, I planned to christen with Carlisle. Our kitchen, diner was light and airy, and a great space to entertain, I also had perfect views of the garden, vital for when the children were old enough to play out there. Upstairs wasn't done yet, but I had made a start with restful colours and light furniture.

"I love it. Edward can keep Harroview, I have my very own little castle right here…" he said, kissing my foot, as it was the only part of me he could actually reach.

"The nursery furniture is arriving next Thursday…"

I knew everything was going well with my pregnancy, apart from my kidney infection, but I had still not wanted to tempt fate…draw attention to my little piece of happiness, and have something come along and destroy it once more. There was always something that could go wrong, something that could take Alexander away from me, from us. During a night when I had been feeling really ill, and my temperature had risen, I had wailed almost hysterically to Carlisle that we were doomed, that after everything the three of us had been through, I was going to lose Alexander, because I hadn't taken enough care of myself. It was all nonsense I knew, but I couldn't shake, quiet that nagging doubt that something was going to go wrong. That Alexander, my visions of him, were just that visions. But then, I had seen my latest scan, seen my baby, my son in glorious 4D, sucking his thumb, yawning, stretching…and what really did look like laughing.

Without a word, Carlisle rested my feet back on the sofa, and came to sit so he could wrap an arm around me, and hold me, as we both lost ourselves in the thrilling, terrifying thought, that it really would not be long, before Alexander was here to use his new furniture.

"Are you scared?" Carlisle asked after a long moment, spent gazing into the fireplace's imitation dancing flames.

"Terrified…but so excited. I want to see him Carlisle…I want to hold him…so badly…" I sighed, my voice becoming ragged with emotion.

"I want to see you holding him. Although, you may well have to pinch me, more than once…to reassure me, that the two of you…that he, is really..finally here."

"Ohhh, he's real…and by the feel of the way he's kicking my bladder, he's decided that he really wants to be a soccer player when he grows up." I groaned. Carlisle helped me up, but before he let me waddle off the bathroom, he caught my hand.

"We can do this Mae…" he tried to hide it, but I could still here, the slight uncertainty in his voice.

"You and me…we can do anything…" I said passionately, because I truly did believe it.

"Okay, Okay, so how much is in the pool?"

"What pool?" Jake said trying and failing, to look innocent.

"Jake, just because she's pregnant, doesn't mean her brain has stopped working, or she's forgotten what you're like…" Emily sniggered.

"ME…it was Jasper…I mean DCI…I mean acting DCI…"Jake stammered.

"Jasper started the pool…and didn't tell me!" Alice sqeaked.

"It's just a bit of fun…" Harris piped up.

"We only do it, cause we're happy for you and the boss…" Tweed added.

"Harris, do yourself a favour and stop talking, before you have a very pregnant lady, crying very loudly…" I laughed. " The boss and I miss you guys too.." I said quietly.

I was the size of a small killer whale, waddling to the bathroom, what felt like every five minutes, eating like a horse, napping like an old lady, as my son, who was ready to be born…"anytime now" according to Dr Gerandy, was making sleep almost impossible, but I had never felt so full of energy.

In an attempt, to stop me from trying to scrub our spotless house for a third time, in the week following the baby shower Alice had thrown for me, Carlisle was taking me out to lunch. After, he had sat through a finance meeting that would affect the SCI's future, when he would be back in charge, in three months time. Alice had offered to drive me to the station and get me out, from under the feet of poor Mrs. Doyle, who I was snapping at, as she tried stop me cleaning, or rewashing and ironing, the sheets on the Moses basket that was set up in our room, or the wardrobes full, of clothes I had bought for Alexander over the last few weeks.

Carlisle and Jasper were running late, but I was loving spending time with the SCI team, and several of the other members of the team from downstairs, who had been genuinely welcoming when they saw me.

"Okay, so there's two hundred pounds…"

"That much, really?"

"So what date have you got then Jake?" I asked.

"Fifth of November…I think I've got a good chance…I mean first babies can come early…my brother came two weeks early, and the fifth is only …"he reasoned.

"Tomorrow…Harris?"

" The eighteenth…"

"Carlisle's birthday? Really?

"Well…you and the boss, I mean…it would be the perfect ending…and babies can come late too. My son Spencer…two and a half weeks…"

"Dare I even ask what weights, people have guessed…"

"Well, you are pretty big, way bigger than Mrs. Whitlock…so I'm guessing at least nine pounds…" Jake babbled happily, until he saw my face.

**CARLISLE POV**

"So, how are you planning to eat the placenta? Fried? Grilled? Raw…I had Danni's as a smoothie?"

"WHAT? You drank a smoothie made of…" I exclaimed, only stopping when I saw Jasper's raised eyebrow and smirk. "Very funny…" I groused.

"Well, I had to do something, to bring you out of the boredom induced coma, Higgenthwaite put you in. I mean, that guy, gives accountants a bad name. I swear…"

"You should see him when he gets some caffeine inside him, becomes a real wild man…uses different fonts on his power point presentations…" I chuckled softly.

"Damn! I am so sorry I missed that…" Jasper laughed. For several long moments, we didn't speak, just let the traffic noises and general hub bub of central London, wash over us.

"You know, I'm impressed. I couldn't have managed a meeting like that, when Alice was so close to dropping…"

"I'm hoping you took good notes…" I teased.

"Some things, never change…" Jasper growled. " You do realize, that you would never have passed your History O-Level without my, extensive notes…"Jasper said smugly.

"I still only got a C… I was thinking about Mae, of course I was…but for some reason, I've been thinking about little Kelly…the little girl Talbot and…"

"I know who she is Carlisle, I don't think any of us, will ever forget her." Jasper sighed.

"She would have been five yesterday…"

"Carlisle…this is supposed to be the happiest, most exciting time of yours and Mae's life, if she's anything like Alice, her already crazy hormones, will be in full melt down about now…she doesn't need to…"

" I know, I know you're right…I just can't get out of my head, the fact that it was Kelly losing her life, that gave me back mine…I mean, her accident, bought Mae back into my life…gave me everything I ever wanted, dreamed of…"

Before Jasper could answer me, both his and my cell phones burst into life.

"Hi honey, I'm sorry we're so late…if Mae gets really hungry, tell her there's some biscuits in my desk drawer…" Jasper joked.

"Food is the last thing on Mae's mind, right at the moment…"

"WHAT? Alice what's happened…is Mae alright?" I almost screamed.

" She will be, as long as you get your asses, to the hospital…Carlisle…it's time…"

**ESME POV**

"Alice, this wasn't supposed to happen…Carlisle and I, were supposed to drive in nice and calmly… or as calmly as Carlisle can manage. I swear, when I had the false alarm with the Braxton Hicks contractions, he worked his way through, all my breathing excercises…I was NOT meant to be rushed to hospital, in the back of a police car…" I wailed.

"Just like, I was not supposed to give birth, in the middle of your wedding reception, without all the lovely pain relief you are going to have…"Alice soothed as she rubbed on the base of my back.

How had this happened? One minute I was threatening to do Jake serious harm, with the pen I had been playing with, before bursting into hysterical laughter at his truly terrified face. The next, I was doubled over in pain, sitting in a puddle as my waters broke. I had dismissed the niggling pains as my back playing up, mixed with the Braxton Hicks contractions I had been having on and off, over the last few days. The following twenty minutes, were a blur of me being carefully helped into the back of a police car, but what felt like half the station, the other half, had spilled out into the yard to call words as encouragement, as we raced off, sirens screaming.

"I haven't got my case…"

"I've told Jasper, to make sure Carlisle gets it from the boot of the Mercedes."

"Where is he Al…I want Carlisle…I need him…I'm scared…" I whimpered, unable to stop the tears I could feel streaming down my face.

"Oh, honey…I know you are…but just keep in your head…a little while from now…you are going to see, hold that beautiful…beautiful boy, that we have all waited so long to meet…" Alice said roughly as she held my face between her tiny hands.

"I'm going to be a Mommy…finally…" I whispered.

"Yes…Yes you are…and young master Alexander, is going to realize just what a lucky, lucky boy he is…" she said, kissing the top of my head tenderly.

"Couldn't have put it better myself…"

"Carlisle…" I whimpered, as I looked over Alice's shoulder, to see Carlisle standing in the doorway, his face alive with excitement and the same fears I had.

"Of course you couldn't…now get over here…and start rubbing. This crazy fool, has decided, she's doing it without the epidural…I have to make sure that Edward picked up Embry okay…and that Danny hasn't bought little Danni, half a toy shop, or given her soda again. That child, with caffeine…sooo not a good mix." Alice said. Or at least think she did, she was speaking so fast, the words were blurring into one continuous sound, as she raced out the door.

Carlisle looked after her for a minute, shaking his head, before rushing over to me.

"Mae, why have you changed your mind about the epidural? The pain is going to get worse…"

"Trust me Carlisle…this…this isn't pain…" I stammered. It was Carlisle's turn to take my face in his hands, as the memories of the past, filled the heavy silence that had fallen between us.

"Do you have any idea, how much I adore you…how proud I am" he whispered, tilting his forehead against for a minute after kissing me softly. I gripped the front of his shirt, almost ripping it, with the strength of my grip.

"Don't leave me…"

"I promise, I will be right here…all the way…us against the world remember."

"Don't faint…"

"That, I can't promise…" Carlisle chuckled softly.

"I'm scared…"

"So am I…but…you and me…we can do anything…" Carlisle breathed against my hair, using my words from the other night.

"Alexander's going to be okay, isn't he?"I said into his chest.

"He's going to be just fine sweetheart…" Carlisle said tightening his grip on me. "I know, that you will do everything in your power, to bring him into this world safely." He said.

We had booked the birth, in Dr Gerandy's private birthing centre, which was on the top floor, of a maternity hospital, giving us a calm, less formal environment for the birth. The rooms were like large private bedrooms, whilst also giving us access to more specialized medical help, if god forbid, something was to go wrong.

"And so, in the middle of the coroners court, where we were giving evidence to one of the meanest, pedantic coroners EVER…he…starts shuffling in his seat, looking like a four year old, that needs the bathroom. And when the coroner, finally asks him, what's wrong, he bursts out with "I'm having a baby" Rose sniggered, jabbing a thumb in Emmett's direction.

In an effort to distract me, from the increasingly severe pain, Alice, Edward, Bella, Danny, Embry, Sue, and finally Rose and Emmett, popped into my room, at intervals, to chat for a few minutes. As much as I didn't want Carlisle to leave me, as I saw how tense he had become, watching me in more and more pain. It was for his sake, more than my own, that I agreed to take some gas and air. Emmett had joked, that he wasn't sure, who looked like they needed it more. I ended up asking Rose to drag Carlisle outside for a cigarette.

"I'll be five minutes…" Carlisle insisted.

"I'm in safe hands…" I panted, smiling at Emmett.

As soon as Carlisle was gone, Emmett was by my side.

"So, how bad is it?" he asked

"The gas and air, helps a little…but Christ Em…it hurts…" I groaned.

"Well, just think kiddo…with every contraction, every push you're going to do, you're beautiful boy, is that little bit closer. And you are driving a stake, through that evil old bitch's heart. Making sure, that she can never, rise up again, to hurt you…or your family…"

And ninety minutes later, when my body felt like lead, and I was sobbing with fatigue, pain and the desperate desire to finally see my son, it was Emmett's words, that gave me the final burst of energy I needed, to give that "one last big push".

"Never going to hurt my family…never going to hurt my family…never again…my family…" I screamed silently, as I bore down and pushed with everything I had, to finally, bring Alexander, Jonathan Cullen into the world.

Dr Gerandy and his nurse were moving around the room, and obviously talking, congratulating us, by the look of the smiles on their faces. But Carlisle and I took none of it in. We were looking at each other in stunned disbelief.

He was here.

Our beautiful, longed for, oh so precious little boy, was finally here. He was no longer a vision, a dream for the happier future, we both so desperately wanted, the future we had fought so damn hard for. He was a living, breathing, baby we could touch, we could feel, we could see observing us, with unfocused, but strangely intense blue eyes. Carlisle had one arm wrapped around me whilst his other hand, was resting so tenderly on his son, who after an initial test of his not inconsiderable lungs, was quite happy to lay on my chest.

Tearing my eyes, away from my son, I had a son, I was a mother…I had given the man I adored, a child. I had done that, I had put that look of love, of completion…of hope, of peace in his beautiful eyes. I looked at Carlisle once more. He was trying to speak, but the silent sobs that were rippling through him, were making it impossible. I wasn't in a much better state, but I managed to stammer through my tears…

"We…we…did…it…"


	38. Outake 1And Baby Makes 3

**AN; I am so very sorry to all of you who received email announcing the start of Unconditional the sequel to SR, only to find it had disappeared. Literally just after I posted, my computer had a seizure and my RL began kicking my ass. And whilst I do now have computer access, my RL means that I can't devote as much time to sequel as I would want to at the moment. I did not want to hopefully get you interested in the sequel, then leave you hanging around waiting for updates, so I pulled it. You my wonderful supportive readers deserve more than that. So, whilst I am in limbo, I am hoping, a few outtakes seeing how Carlisle, Mae and little Alexander settle into family life, might help you forgive me.**

**CARLISLE POV**

Turning over to find Mae's side of the bed empty, my eyes snapped open and focused on the alarm clock. It was almost five am, meaning that Alexander, who had woken for a feed at three, was having another restless night. My son, it was ridiculous, but I could feel the smile twitching my lips even just thinking about him, thinking about the fact I was a father, had so far been a happy, healthy, he was already trying to lift his head and was very alert baby, he just would not sleep…at night anyway. He would whimper, then explode into the most heart breaking wail every time we tried to put him back to bed, only calming, when he was safely back in our arms. At first, we had thought it was because of the colic he had developed. He was a hungry baby almost from his first feed, and so on the health visitor's advice, we had added another feed, one which I did with a bottle of the milk Mae was forced to express, to try and find some relief, from the backache, her incredibly sexy, but uncomfortably inflated chest caused her.

I looked forward every day, to that quiet time with my beautiful boy. Any stresses I had had during the day whilst teaching at the Academy, or nerves I felt as the time for me to go back to running the SCI came closer, melted away. My growing frustration at the fact that that was the only time, Mae would allow me to help her care for Alex when he was being difficult, preferring only to allow me to 'do the fun stuff' like cuddles and bath time, took until the meds and the new way that Sue had shown us to wind him, a way she used with Edward, who had turned almost crimson with embarrassment, as she had informed us that he had screamed the place down with colic, for three months solid, had helped, to fully leave me. I knew that she was so desperate to prove, that after waiting so long, that she could be a good mother in more than just the daydreams she had had for so long, that she could prove it to the world…to Jane, but it had hurt me, made me think of what my father must have gone through. And even thinking like that, even for a second, had made me feel sick with guilt. Mae was nothing like Jane. She was as Sue had said _"She was a hormonal new mum, with a painful history, trying to find her feet. And unlike...Jane…all Mae needs, is time and you to just keep loving her…"_ It just seemed that Alexander was just one of those babies, who for the moment needed a lot of cuddles.

"_Well of course he's a night owl…with two parents who have spent more late nights on stake outs, and in offices up to their necks in paperwork, than any coppers I've ever met…it's inherited…" Emmett had declared sagely, when I had come home one afternoon, to find him sat on the sofa with Alexander, glued to the preschool children's channel._

"_I'm taking my godfather duties very seriously…some of these kids shows, have hidden subversive messages…" he had said earnestly. Emmett had cried and almost cracked at least three of my ribs, when Mae and I had asked he and Rose, to be Alex's godparents. He had then driven us all mad for days, impersonating Marlon Brando. _

"_Listen Carlisle, you and Mae…shit; all of us have waited a hell of long time for that little boy. He's helped heal something in all of us. But he's made you and Mae even stronger…he can sense how happy he makes you and how much you adore him…so the kid is just feeling the love…" Emmett had chuckled roughly one day, when he saw me, yawing widely._

"_**Moon river, wider than a mile,**_

_**We're crossing you in style, one day…**_

The sound of Mae's gentle, sweet voice echoing up the stairs, pulled me from my reverie and pulled me, almost as if I were hypnotized, down the stairs towards the lounge. If a picture really does paint a thousand words, then seeing Mae, sat on the sofa, gazing down at Alexander, who was resting on her drawn up bent knees, with such love, despite her tiredness, summed up what Emmett had tried to say beautifully.

**ESME POV**

"_Oh dream maker, you heart breaker…where ever you're going…I'm going your way…" _

I crooned softly as I gazed into my son's fathomless blue pools, which were finally beginning to grow heavy with sleep. After finding that talking to him only soothed him for so long, reading to him was something that only seemed to work when Carlisle did it, and he could take or leave the flickering pictures of the TV and any recorded music I might play, I had tried singing to him. We had gone through my limited repertoire many times over the last few nights. This song, had stuck in my head after I had watched the movie on cable, whilst ironing this afternoon…but it seemed to be working! And the words were so very true.

"_Three drifters, off to see the world…there's such…a lot of world to see…"_

And your Daddy and I, we're going to make sure you see as many, of the beautiful things in the world as we can my darling boy. I thought as I gently smoothed down his soft blonde hair that had been ruffled by sleep.

"_We're after the same…rainbows end, waiting round the bend…my huckle berry friend aaand me…"_I finished, softly lowering my head, to kiss his tiny little hands was holding in my own.

Alexander yawned and continued to fight his closing eyes, giving me one last glimpse of his beautiful eyes, and what I was convinced was a smile. Finally however, he gave in and fell into a deep, steady rhythm of sleep.

"Not that I'm complaining, but I always thought, it was two drifters…" Carlisle said softly from the doorway, making me jump.

"Sorry love…" he said, coming to sit on the end of the sofa and stroking my leg and Alexander's soft head.

"Did Audrey Hepburn spinning in her grave wake you?" I asked, chuckling softly.

"So it looks like our little vampire, has a new lullaby…" Carlisle said smiling.

"He's not a vampire!" I said protectively. "And yes it is two drifters…but we're not two anymore…we're three…"

Even in the dim, early morning light streaming through the small chink in the curtains, I could see Carlisle's dazzling smile as he scooped Alexander up into his strong arms, whilst holding out a hand to me. Alexander snuffled and wriggled, but a few quiet words from Carlisle as we climbed the stairs, soon settled him. To think, I had, not intentionally, tried to come between and deny Alexander the love, support and security, this wonderful man was so desperate to give us.

_We had made so many plans about sharing everything to do with looking after Alex, wanting to give him the attention and love that our own parents couldn't or wouldn't give us. I knew how important it was to Carlisle to feel part of everything. And yet, when things got tough, when Alex had fallen out of the easy routine we had been lucky enough for his first eight weeks, becoming colicky after his_ _feeds, something which was thankfully now settling, I had turned into a growling Momma Bear, snapping at anyone, even Carlisle, who had tried to offer me help._

_I was Alexander's mother I was supposed _to know how to soothe him. Carlisle was getting up every morning to go teach at the Academy, my job, was to look after our home and our son I had reasoned to myself.

"_Yeah I thought that in the beginning with Danni. Wouldn't let Jazz do anything, then I came down with the flu…remember? I had to let Jazz look after Danni. Anyway, she was grizzling really badly one afternoon and Jazz panicked. I ended up screaming at him that all she needed was her Mr Hefalump toy. And he turned round and said to me, quite calmly, 'how was he supposed to know that?' when I wouldn't let him do anything for her, never told him about her toys? The look on his face, it reminded me of one night we were at Harrowview, before you and Carlisle got back together. Edward and Carlisle, were talking about some of the stuff they got up to as kids…Aro had this really sad, pained look on his face, he didn't know any of it…she…she made his life so hard, he couldn't be at home with his sons…despite the fact he really wanted to…" Alice had said one afternoon , when she had come round, to see me in an exhausted heap on the sofa, crying softly into a cushion. " None of us have parents around, to give us the benefit of their parental wisdom Mae, we are all, having to learn as we go…and believe me, it's a lot less scary learning together."_

"It's time to wake up Sleeping Beauty…" Carlisle's deep, rich voice whispered softly in my ear, causing a tremble of pleasure to run through my body and a sleepy, but wide and loving smile to creep across my face, as I felt him trail soft, kisses from behind my ear and along my cheek. With a soft purr of pleasure, I stretched my arms over my head, before turning on my back and opening my eyes. I was met by his fathomless blue pools, staring back at me, full of love, desire and I didn't have time to try and work out what the other emotion I saw there was, as looking into Carlisle's eyes, had cleared the fog of sleep from my brain, and reminded me with the force of a slap to the face, about..

"Alexander!" I squeaked, as a quick glance at the alarm told me it was past eight, nearly forty minutes past his feed. Sitting bolt upright, I looked over Carlisle's shoulder, into my son's empty Moses' basket.

"Mae…Mae…calm down love, he's here…he's fine, he was helping me make you breakfast in bed…" Carlisle said quickly, bending down and freeing Alexander from the padded bouncy chair that we placed him in, when we were in different rooms.

"Never mind my breakfast, he must be starving…look at the time…why didn't I hear him crying? You should have woken me.." I snapped, looking at Carlisle as if he was crazy, worrying about feeding me, before our son. Our son, who was lying quite contentedly in the crook of his Daddy's arm, observing me, with the same beautiful blue eyes as his father. Only know, his father's eyes, were tinged with hurt.

"I took him into the kitchen the minute I heard him wake. Mae, he was so cranky with his feeds last week, you were up for hours every time because you wouldn't let me help during the night.…" Carlisle said, the hurt in his voice clear.

"You had to get up for work you needed your rest…" I argued weakly.

"Mae, sweetheart, you know I can and have, survived on nothing but cat naps, coffee and cigarettes for days and functioned fine. I want I need to do my part to look after him and you…please…"

It had hit me then like a slap to the face. What the hell was I doing yelling at Carlisle? He had waited as long as I had for this moment, for Alexander. He was desperate to learn from the mistakes of the past, to give the son a blind man could see he adored, and who adored him, everything he never had and so desperately wanted as a child. And wasn't that, the one thing I had wanted for Alexander as well, to give him the security and love of two parents who loved him as much as they loved each other? For him to see that love and develop into a good man…

It would hard enough for us, when Carlisle went back to work full time. I really would be the one totally responsible for Alexander's care during what I knew, despite Carlisle's best efforts, would be some long days and nights. I had realized, I was crazy denying myself Carlisle's help and support now, as we navigated these first daunting months of learning how to care for this beautiful little boy, who was totally reliant on us for everything. And I was being cruel, denying Carlisle the chance to love his son and give him the family life to come home to, that he had always wanted

"Mae…are you getting up love?"

"I…don't think I can…" I whimpered from beneath the duvet. I had been slowly reintroducing exercise back into my routine, I wasn't vain and I had managed to get my figure back pretty well in the ten weeks since Alexander was born, but I wanted to shift my baby belly a little faster and whilst I could not change my diet whilst breast feeding, I knew that running would help me. The doctor had said it was ok, as I had healed well from the birth and the two stitches I'd had to have and because my body was used to the exercise and probably craving it.

A Saturday morning jog had been a routine of Carlisle and mine, since almost the first weekend we had spent together, and he had been delighted when I had shyly suggested it again on Friday night. His smile had become even bigger, when I said that it would be just the two of us, as I had asked Rose and Emmett to babysit.

The thought of leaving Alex with anyone worried me, but I knew I had to, if I was ever going to get to spend some much needed alone time with Carlisle. I missed my husband and it appeared he had missed me just as much and as Carlisle had said, it would be good practice, for Valentine's Day, when he insisted we were going out. So yesterday morning, we had gone out for a jog in the park. Nowhere near at the same speed we were used to, but it had felt so good to stretch my muscles, to have some control back over my body, but maybe the best part, had been being so close to Carlisle. To feel his arm brush against mine, to laugh with him as he gently teased me and encouraged me. Now though, the morning after, my entire body was aching, throbbing, and painfully stiff.

"Well I did say, racing me up that hill, might have been a mistake…" Carlisle said, trying and failing not to laugh.

"Only cause I won…" I growled.

Carlisle pulled a face at me, before lying back down beside me, and peering over the top of the duvet I had pulled over my head.

"I'll get you some painkillers…you've expressed enough milk for today…" he said in answer to my argument, that I did not want to take even smallest risk, that something could taint what I fed Alexander.

"Then, I shall run you a bath…" Carlisle said firmly.

"Come in with me?" I said. The words had left my mouth, before I even realized. Carlisle's face, showed the surprise I was feeling

"I…I may need you to scrub my back…I mean if you want to…Alex will be asleep for at least another hour…you don't have to…" I stammered.

What the hell was wrong with me? This was Carlisle, my husband, the man who had made love to me, seen me naked too many times to count. But suddenly I was stammering over my words and blushing, I could feel the heat prickling over my face and down my neck, like a shy teenager. But as crazy as it sounded, I had felt very much like an insecure teenager in regards to Carlisle seeing my body since Alexander was born. We had shared lots of cuddles and gentle kisses, but the need for my body to heal, exhaustion and Carlisle's work, meant that although the doctor had said it was fine, we had not yet resumed any type of physical relationship. And part of me was glad, as I had wanted to try and get my body, back into some sort of shape before Carlisle saw it again. But the feelings of overwhelming love I had felt as I watched how gentle and loving Carlisle was with our son, coupled with an unexpected, but not unpleasant, spike of lust at the sight of Carlisle's ass in running shorts, had overcome my anxiety. Carlisle's continued, intense gaze of surprise and uncertainty was making me fear, that my relief would only be temporary.

Oh please, please don't let him be one of those men, who couldn't, didn't like the idea of making love or being physical with their wives when they became 'mothers'.

" I mean…I can't…I'm not really able to do much today…too stiff…but…I thought…it might be nice…I…I miss seeing…touching you…feeling you touch me…"

My continued embarrassed, awkward babbling was cut off, by Carlisle claiming my mouth with his own. He tasted of coffee, cigarettes, mint and Carlisle. I whimpered softly, my hands slipping round his neck and into his hair as he traced along my lower lip with his tounge, before engaging mine in a playful duel. A slight whimper from our left caused both our heads to turn.

"Please baby...not now…" Carlisle and I breathed in unison, which then caused us to both laugh.

Thankfully, Alexander settled and Carlisle moved like lightening. It seemed no sooner had the taps started running, than he had come back into the bedroom and scooped me up bridal style in his arms and carried me into the bathroom.

Our deep tub was rapidly filling with bubbly hot water.

"I can suffer smelling like spiced Vanilla, if it means I get to hold you for awhile…" Carlisle said in answer to my surprised face. He hated bubble baths, the scent of most of them making him sneeze. The only one he seemed to be able to stand, being the spiced Vanilla that matched my body lotion.

I suddenly felt anxious again as I watched Carlisle strip off his clothes and step into the tub. He hadn't been working out as much as he used to and he had lost a little of the hard, sculpted look he had gained whilst boxing. But he was still breathtakingly beautiful. His broad chest covered in a dusting of the finest blonde hair, his abs, defined and strong and screaming at my hands and my mouth, that were there, ready and willing to be rediscovered and claimed as my own once more. And then, my eyes were drawn against my will, to the happy trail of darker blonde hair, which led down to…

"Mae…darlin…if you want us to have some time before the little Vampire wakes up…"

"He's not a vampire…" I snapped out of habit "And I do…really I do…it's just…oh…never mind…" I huffed almost ripping my PJ's off, in my annoyance at how insecure I was feeling and to get the inevitable over with, so that I could get into the water. I had barely stepped gingerly into the tub, my already aching muscles screaming in painful protest at my little temper tantrum, before Carlisle had reached up, holding gently but firmly onto my hips and lowered me to sit between his legs in the water.

My squeak of surprise, was quickly replaced by my hiss of pleasurable pain, as the warm water began the task of soothing my aching body.

"Just relax Mae…" Carlisle purred in my ear, his voice deep, rich, soothing yet holding a firmer undertone that would allow for no argument. Carlisle…my husband, was taking control of this situation, of me and I was more than happy to let him. With a deep sigh, I let my head fall back against his shoulder, my heavy legs float and tangle with his. We sat like this for…what felt like forever, but was probably only ten minutes, just allowing the feel of each other's skin, the scent of each other made all the more potent by the warmth and the water, seep into each other and soothe us.

"I've missed this…missed you…" Carlisle said quietly, turning his head and sweetly kissing my temple, before allowing his hands that had been resting on my own, to begin stroking my arms

"I've missed you too…" I sighed, the water was warm almost too hot, we both liked hot showers and baths, but I was shivering beneath Carlisle's touch.

"I guess we didn't realize just how tough it was going to be, having a new born little vamp…"

"He is NOT a vampire…" I huffed, splashing Carlisle. "He's just very alert…"

"Especially at night…" Carlisle chuckled.

"Stop it!" I growled, turning slightly and giving him a nipping kiss. "But you are right…things haven't been…as easy as we hoped…I guess that's why you never see what happens after the happy ending in fairy tales. Might spoil the illusion"

" Has it spoilt it for you?" Carlisle asked quietly, his blue eyes full of genuine concern as he looked at me.

"It's been hard…but I've never been happier. We have our beautiful little boy, a real home…and I know that no matter how hard it gets…I have you. And as Emmett is so fond of saying…there ain't nothing that Cullen and Mae can't do…" I said a little roughly, praying that the threatening tears I felt didn't fall.

The kiss Carlisle gave me was sweet, tender and told me far better than any words, how much he loved me and that he was in total agreement. He pulled away in slight alarm however, when I let a hiss escape me against his lips. Turning as I had and Carlisle sitting up slightly to kiss me, meant that our chests had crushed together causing me to cry out, not in pain as Carlisle thought, but pleasure, something that he was quick to see after he had looked at me properly. With a slight smirk twitching his lips, Carlisle turned me back round, so I was laying against his chest, resting my head in the crook of his neck, before picking up the body wash on the side of the tub.

"Carlisle…I…" I stammered biting down on my lip in an attempt to stifle the deep moan I could feel building in my chest at the feel of his warm soapy hands, moving over my skin.

"You've been hiding from me Mae…" Carlisle growled lowly against my ear, his hands gently skimming over my breasts.

"Oooh…please…" I hissed, desperately trying not to scream or buck clear out of the tub as the intense pleasure crackled through my sensitive peaks.

"Please stop?" he queried.

"No..no…" I mumbled. "But I…my body…it's not…the saaaammee…" I whimpered, struggling to concentrate as Carlisle teased and kneaded.

" You've just had a baby Mae…but…please…believe me…I…still love every…part of it…if anything, seeing you…feeling your curves soften a little…makes you look…feel even more beautiful to me…" Carlisle rasped as he let one hand slide down my side, before dipping beneath the bubbles and caressing my stomach. My sudden turn, sent a wave of water sloshing over the edge of the tub, but I didn't care. I needed…I needed Carlisle I just wasn't sure what I wanted first, him to kiss me, or to let his hand, which was idling on my stomach to move lower. I saw the same confusion in Carlisle's hooded eyes.

"Touch me…" I whispered against his lips.

We were twisted at an awkward angle, the bathroom floor was covered in water, but I didn't care, I was just grateful to have his mouth and his shoulder to lose my moans in, as his fingers, gently stroked and teased my aching, hot core. Every touch was sending an intense crackle of pleasure shooting through my entire body. It hadn't really been that long since Carlisle and I had been intimate, but everything felt incredibly intense. For Carlisle as well, judging by his own soft growls. But as much as I loved him for being so gentle and considerate, it wasn't long before I was pleading with him to move his dangerous fingers a little faster, a little harder to counteract the lack of friction caused by the water. I could feel the tight coil of need in the pit of my stomach was so close to springing, and giving me the release I hadn't realized I so desperately needed. All I needed was a little more, which Carlisle gladly gave, increasing his speed and pressing his palm firmly against me.

It took me several long moments to register Alexander's whimpers echoing through the half open door and baby monitor.

"Oh god…did I…did I wake him?"I stammered horrified.

"No…but at least I know now, which side of the family he gets his vampire tendencies from…" Carlisle said. My chastisement died in my throat as I followed his eyes to his shoulder, where in an attempt to stifle my cries, I had bitten down and left a thankfully not deep, imprint of my teeth.


	39. Outtake 2

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN;** ** Hello all. I just wanted to say a big thankyou to all of you, for your continued support of this story and for indulging my little Carlisle and Bella experiment. Whilst this is mainly another chapter of baby fluff, you guys are so sweet about little Alex, it does have a little bit of plot in at the end that will link into the sequel, as will at least the following 2 outtakes/chaps. 'Unconditional', will be a separate story, but I have found that I can work some of the back story/set up for it, into the fluffy baby chapters. I want to let you all know, that I am really trying to get sequel going, but RL is not being very co-operative. Anyway, I hope you can enjoy.**

**CARLISLE POV**

"And when you're a big boy, we'll see about getting you a car like that…nothing too fast, not to start with, but you want something decent…Girls love a nice car…" I chuckled softly to my son, who had been sat in the crook of my arm for the last half an hour watching a TV car show with me. Now though, his eye lids were beginning to droop and he was yawning softly as he attempted to bury his head in the crook of my neck, whilst gripping my shirt in his tiny fist. Turning him slightly, I cradled him against me and gently pressed my lips, which I couldn't stop from twitching into a soft smile, against the top of his soft, sweet smelling head.

Mae curled into me in exactly the same way, every night as we drifted off to sleep. Turning off the TV, I stood tightening my grip slightly on my now sleeping son, as I moved quickly and quietly round the downstairs rooms, checking that they were secure. He was becoming a noticeable weight and was a wriggler.

I had only been back at work for a month, but it already felt like my time away was bringing into sharper focus, just how much and how quickly my little boy was changing, growing. He was becoming a noisy, inquisitive, impatient little person in his own right. And whilst I was forced to rely on Mae telling me some things that she learnt during her days with him, things that I would only have time to really notice during our precious weekend family time, as he was usually bed by the time I came home in the evening. Things like the fact he hated going to feed the ducks, screaming the place down every time Mae, took him anywhere near the duck pond in the park, but he loved, being held for a gentle spin on the roundabout. Or that he loved being placed on his jungle play mat complete with plastic animals that made noises, his favourite being the lion, which would send him off into peals of infectious laughter. Whilst he hated the fact, that he whilst he could roll over onto his stomach, he couldn't roll back, and that his little face would screw up and he would shriek in frustration. I liked the fact that I noticed little things that Mae didn't.

Like just now, the way he settled to sleep, or the fact he liked the smell of coffee, but hated the smell of strawberry's and banana's and he liked it better if the teddy bear Emmett had bought for him, that had sat in his crib from the day he was born, was laying down, rather than standing up. True, this was because he liked to kick at it, but I was convinced that was more to do with the fact he had, like me, very sensitive feet, and liked the feel of the fur, rather than him practicing his 'baby ninja' skills as Emmett insisted.

Alexander liked to be touched, stroked and tickled, but like me, he could only bare certain sensations for certain lengths of time, on his feet and on his neck. At first we had been worried that he had pain in those places, so intense were his reactions, but the health visitor had given him a thorough check and said that his slightly more sensitive skin than usual, was just more sensitive in those areas and that he would grow out of it.

"Girls like cars, but if it's too large, or too flash, we start to worry you're overcompensating for things…" Mae chuckled sleepily when I climbed back into bed, as soon as I had raised my arm she had buried her head in my neck and fisted the front of my shirt. I chuckled softly, kissing the top of her head. I had forgotten she had the baby monitor beside her and that she would have heard what I said. Unlike his mother however, Alexander didn't like having his back stoked whilst he cuddled, whereas Mae, practically purred at the sensation of my hands tracing patterns along her spine.

"Are you sure you still want to come to the class in the morning? You've had a long week baby…" she breathed softly against my neck.

"I want, to take my son swimming…it says Dad's can come…to "enhance the bonding experience". I growled, finding myself making quotation marks in the darkness as I quoted the literature from the Aqua Baby Class Mae and Alice took Danni and Alex too every Saturday morning.

Alexander was a water baby, I had seen how much he enjoyed his nightly bath, squealing with delight and kicking out with his strong little legs, but apparently whilst some babies had balked at being submerged under the water in the class, Alex had shown no fear and tried to wriggle out of Mae's grasp. I had had a long week at work, with seemingly never ending meetings and mountains of paperwork, but I was ridiculously excited by the thought of taking my son swimming in the morning. It was a simple family activity, which I was determined to enjoy, before my work took me out from behind my desk and back out into the field, which I knew it could do at anytime.

"Okay…just don't blame me, if you come away with a headache after listening to Yellow Submarine being sung for an hour…" Mae chuckled.

"Can you get Alex dressed to go out please…his blue Thomas coat, there's a chill in the air…" Mae said the next morning, when I entered the bedroom to find out what was taking her so long to get ready. We only had half an hour to make the class and the weekend traffic was unpredictable at best.

"Sure…is this his swimming stuff?" I asked, placing his hand on the rolled up towel on the bed.

"Yes…I'll bring it down in a minute; I need to get some more cream out of the cupboard…his skin gets very dry…"

"I've never asked. How do the other mother's take it…seeing you looking like Ursula Andress in a bikini…?" he teased

"Oh they're all green with envy… I mean…I just ooze sex appeal in this little number…" Mae growled sarcastically as she ripped open the belt of her robe to reveal the plain black swim suit she was wearing.

"Don't you just…" I growled, my eyes sweeping over her appreciatively.

"Who knew the Mumsy look turned you on so much…" Mae replied, she was struggling to maintain her sarcasm, under my gaze, which I hoped told her just how damn sexy she looked.

"Only, when it's being modeled by my very own MILF…" I clarified, perching on the edge of the bed and pulling to stand between my legs.

"Soo…how many other Dad's actually come to this class?" I asked, slipping my hands beneath the sides of her gown and gently squeezing her ass before letting one hand ghost up along her side.

"Err…a few…I mean…three…Guy, Julian and Jay…their nice…very friendly…"Mae sighed, her body unconsciously arching into my touch.

"I'll bet they are…"I growled. I knew it was ridiculous, but I couldn't help but hate the thought of other men seeing so much of Mae's beautiful body. I knew she had had issues with how she looked, how she felt since Alexander was born, but in my eyes, the extra curves she had developed, the slight softness…made her even more womanly and sexy in my eyes.

A slight snigger escaped Mae as she gazed down into my face.

"You my blue eyes…are biased…to the extreme…" she purred as she let her fingers run through my hair, in the way that caused me to almost purr in delight. "They don't look at me like that" she said quietly, but I could tell she wasn't telling the whole truth.

"Oh so they're blind are they? These other Dad's…" I grumbled as I rested my chin on her stomach to look up at her.

"No…but a few of the mothers might wish they were, if they look at you for too long…" Mae said, her smile was sweet, but her tone was deadly.

"I'll be in the water…"I said in confusion.

"Yes…and…"

"They won't be able to see more than my chest…"

"Your very well defined chest…" Mae growled.

"They'll be concentrating on their keeping their kids safe, or at least they bloody well should be…I can assure you, the only thing I'll be looking at are you, Alex and the teacher…" I said seriously.

"Oh and maybe Meg…"Mae said with a small smile.

"Who the hell is Meg?"

'Alex's girlfriend…"

"His what?" I demanded.

"Your son already, has your considerable talent with the ladies Mr. Cullen" Mae chuckled. "Meg is Julian's daughter; she's a couple of months older than Alex…but every time she sees him, her little face lights up and she gives him the cutest little gummy smile." Mae cooed.

"An older woman…that's my boy…" I said grinning wickedly.

" Miss Whitlock is not amused, anytime poor Meg even looks at Alex, Danni shrieks at her, or splashes her. "

Danielle was now almost fifteen months old and whilst she was as beautiful as Alice, with an adorable elfin face, she did not usually take after her in temperament. She had been surprisingly gentle with "babee." as she he called Alex.

"Anyway, you being in the water may be alright…as long as Jessica doesn't get too close…it's when you get out…" Mae grumbled.

**ESME POV**

And I was right. The attention and lustful glances Carlisle received when he climbed into the pool and began behaving adorably with Adam, was nothing, compared to the blatant ogling and muttered comments that he received when he climbed out. His black trunks clung sinfully to his ass, and the simple act of smoothing his wet hair away from his face, made him look like he had been transplanted to the pool from a designer commercial. But I didn't have too much time to brood, as once he had swept Alex into his arms, holding him securely on his hip, Carlisle held out a hand to help me up the pool steps. And when I came level with him…he kissed me. Not just a simple peck, or a full on caveman marking his territory kiss, somewhere deliciously in between. Whilst I knew Carlisle had no need to be jealous of the other father's that bought their babies to the class, although there was a part of me that would have liked him to give creepy Guy, one of the hard, chilling stares he gave suspects, that usually had them confessing to what they knew and anything else Carlisle wanted to know within seconds. I couldn't help feel a small thrill at his actions and the reaction they caused in Jessica the bimbo and her little click of 'yummy mummy's' as they called themselves.

If looks could kill, I would have been in serious trouble. But as Carlisle growled;

"Yep...that mumsy costume is seriously, making me want to play Mummy's and Daddy's…" lowly in my ear as his hand innocently skimmed my ass, I would have died a very happy and very smug woman.

We were just emerging from the universal changing rooms, when Julian nervously approached us. Julian was a small man in height, but he had a smile and a personality that lit up the room. And he had a huge, caring heart that I knew was full of love, concern and fear for his eldest daughter Olivia, whose young life had been blighted by a rare lung condition. A condition that thankfully, Meg did not have.

"Heh Mae, I know you're probably rushing off…but I was wondering if you fancied buying a few raffle tickets?"

"What are they for? I asked, reaching into my bag for my change purse. "I did introduce you to Carlisle didn't I?" I said eager to ease the slight tension between the two men. Ever mindful of his manners, Carlisle held out his hand, a friendly if slightly tight smile on his face.

"We finally got word from the hospital in Arizona. They think that Olivia fits the criteria for their treatment programme."

"Julian that's great news…Carina must be so pleased…" I said giving his arm a squeeze.

"She is..." he nodded "But we won't be going anywhere, if we can't raise $100,000. We've raised half by remortgaging the house and the business…"

"Sorry to butt in, but is this treatment not available on the NHS?" Carlisle asked, genuinely interested.

Julian's face darkened.

"If we lived in Scotland yes. Our local health authority won't finance it, says its results aren't consistent enough to warrant the cost. It doesn't cure the illness, but this treatment, it slows it down…gives eight of ten kids that have had it, some quality of life…buys them some more time, till they hopefully find a cure." Julian said, his voice rough with emotion. "That's all I want for Livvy, some time to live, do all the things she wants to. She wants to be a pathologist/crime scene investigator. She loves all those CSI shows and she's always got her head buried in some book…I've written to a couple of those charities, you know the ones that arrange wishes for sick kids, but I can't see the Old Bill or whoever runs those places agreeing to that somehow…" he chuckled humorlessly.

"Oh…I wouldn't be so sure of that…" Carlisle said


	40. Out Take 3

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**CARLISLE POV**

As I walked into the kitchen, it was hard to tell who was looking more miserable and frazzled, Mae or Alexander, who was sat in his bouncy chair in just a little T-shirt and nappy grizzling unhappily to himself. And as I lay a hand on his small head in greeting, I found out why. He felt a lot warmer than he usually did, his little cheeks looking flushed.

My heart clenched painfully in my chest for a minute. Mae and I had suffered almost as much as Alex had, when he had had his first proper cold a few weeks ago. I knew babies got sick, especially in changeable weather like we were having at the moment, but he couldn't be sick again already could he?

"Don't panic…it's not a cold…he's just having a small reaction to the inoculations he had this afternoon." Mae said tightly in answer to the panicked question that was obviously visible on my face.

I let out a noisy breath I hadn't even realized I was holding, before looking up from Alex to Mae, or rather her back, as she moved quickly, but unusually noisily around the kitchen, preparing our dinner.

"You've given him some Calpol?" I queried.

"No Carlisle…I've sat on my ass all day and let him suffer…" Mae hissed, shooting me a look, that I had seen reduce bigger men than me to quivering wrecks.

It was an innocent, if stupid question; I didn't understand why she was so pissed off, until I replayed her words in my head

"Shit…his inoculations…I…"

"Forgot?" Mae offered icily. "Just like you forgot how to use the little silver thing in your pocket, to let me know you wouldn't be able to make it this afternoon OR, that you would be almost three hours late for dinner…I mean what was it about today that meant you couldn't make your usual three phone calls home a day?" she demanded.

My schedule this afternoon had looked clear, apart from a meeting with my own solicitor and several piles of paperwork I had to wade through, so I had said to Mae that I would pick her and Alex up for their appointment. Whilst I was forced to miss a lot of Alex's day to day life, there was no way I was going to be absent for anything that affected his future health. Mae and I had spent hours, days, weighing up the pros and cons of the inoculations and had both bombarded Dr. Gerandy with questions during his last appointment. But today, I had been unavoidably detained.

"Michael Hitchin severed his business connection with Tony La Rosa permanently…messily…" I replied, my own tone emerging a little harsher than I meant it too. But it had been a hell of an afternoon. I knew I was wrong for not calling, either about this afternoon, or the fact that I was going to be so late home, but the situation had moved so fast, Jazz and I had driven across London and back, knocking on and kicking in, doors as we tried to contain what could be a very dangerous situation.

"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes…" Mae replied tightly, without turning from her position at the sink to look at me.

Stroking Alexander's head once more, I couldn't kiss him, I stank of sweat, coffee and cigarettes, and I turned on my heel and headed upstairs to take a shower. So here it was. The first test of how our careers would affect our new domestic life and it felt like I'd failed.

Arriving back down in the kitchen ten minutes later, feeling slightly more human, I found Mae crooning along to the radio in an attempt to amuse Alex.

"_Baby sneezes…_

_Mommy pleases…_

I covered the kitchen quickly, wrapping my arms around Mae's waist, resting my head on her shoulder.

"_Daddy, breezes in…"_ I crooned

_So good, on paper so romantic…_

_But so bewildering…"_ we sung together.

Before we could go any further, Alex's surprisingly deep laugh filled the air.

We turned me still holding onto Mae. I felt her sag slightly against me.

"That is the first smile I've seen all day…" she sighed.

"What happened?" I asked, genuinely concerned at the look on her face as we sat down at the table.

"You mean apart, from my son looking at me as if I was the worst damn mother in the world, when Dr Gerandy stuck him with that needle? " she shuddered, her voice suddenly becoming rough with unshed tears. "I swear, if I didn't know better I'd think you'd been giving him lessons on how to use those baby blues of his, to give me the perfect hurt puppy dog stare." She growled, sloshing a large amount of red wine into my glass and pouring a smaller drink for herself.

"I am sorry Mae."I said quietly.

"I know…these things are going to happen…we knew that…" she replied, giving me a small tired smile. "But next time Carlisle…use the damn phone, if only for a minute…"she growled, running a hand wearily over her face.

"Eat…it won't heat up again…" she said

"This looks great…" I muttered as I dug in. I hadn't eaten since having half a sandwich at lunch and was starving.

"Damn…it must have been a bad day if you are actually complementing my cooking…" she sniggered.

We didn't say much as we ate, or afterwards as I gave a really grouchy Alex a bath and spent almost an hour getting him to settle. Mae offered more than once to do it, but I insisted I was fine. I was tired, but I needed this time, this normalcy of just being Daddy as a way to de-stress after my horrible day. And it was clear, that Mae needed a little time out as well. Whilst I bathed Alex in the main bathroom, Mae enjoyed a soak in the tub in our en-suite. After settling Alex, I collapsed down onto the end of the bed. It was a matter of seconds, before Mae, who had been sat on the other side, applying some body lotion, was knelt up behind me, her small, but strong hands, gently kneading my almost painfully tight shoulders. I caught one of her hands, holding it tightly in my own before turning my head.

"I am sorry Mae…I should have called. I've never seen him so ratty before…"

"We've been lucky so far…but Alice says that Danni was the same, I even had Edward come by and check him over after we left Dr. Gerandy. This is all normal parenthood stuff that we have to get used to. We signed up for the good and the bad…we've just got to remember to keep talking…communicating, watching each other's backs. We are, after all, meant to be the best at that. Now my love, it's our turn to tell me about your awful day…" Mae said firmly, as she increased the pressure on my shoulders.

"You're tired…"

"Talk to me Carlisle…" she repeated firmly. And if I was honest, I didn't need much more persuasion, my head was full of images, leads and concerns about what problems the power vacuum left by La Rosa's death could cause and nobody understood my thought processes better than Mae. For almost an hour, she let me talk out my concerns, only replying when I asked her a question and all through that time, she never let up the almost painfully pleasurable pressure on my neck, shoulders and back.

Alexander woke a few times that night, restless and cranky, and although he may have been shocked and hurt at her actions in Dr. Gerandy's office earlier in the day, my son was a boy who adored his mother almost as much as I did, because despite my efforts, the only thing that would soothe him, was Mae's touch and voice, which spoke the most truest words as she carried him out of the room, determined to let me get some rest.

"I know baby, Mommy knows, and she's going to make you feel better…"

My son and I were so damn lucky to have her in our lives.

Three days of temperatures, tears and exploding nappies later, Alexander was as right as rain. And I, was almost there, Michael Hitchin had been spotted by an eagle eyed custom's man at Dover, trying to get on a boat to Spain. We had him, as the old saying went 'bang to rights' for the murder of Tony La Rosa. All I had to do was make sure that the case file was water tight. That meant two long nights for Jasper and I, re –reading every statement taken, checking that every piece of evidence had been correctly logged, in short, plugging up even the smallest loop hole, that Hitchin's lawyer could use, in his attempt to try and get his client off the hook. Finally however it was done and I could for a short while, concentrate on something more pleasant.

When Julian Hanson, had joined us for lunch after the baby swim class, I had listened in admiration and also horror at what he and his wife had had to go through, to try and get their daughter the treatment that she so desperately needed to improve her life. Whilst I had always cared about and given generously to children's charities, it wasn't until Alexander had come along, that I had truly understood, just how devastating an effect, having a seriously ill child could be. As I had walked the floor with Alex when he had his cold, his little chest wheezing with congestion, feeling so damn helpless and wanting to take the pain and struggle away from him, I could only imagine how Julian must feel, seeing his daughter struggle for breath on a daily basis, knowing that something as simple as a cold, could actually kill her.

$100,000 was a lot of money even to me. I could raise it if I needed to, but I had to balance my desire to help, with my stronger desire to protect my own family. So, after discussing it with Mae, I had written a cheque for $50,000 and promised to help Julian and his wife raise the balance. My first steps, or rather Mae's first steps, had been to join forces with Alice, in finding some top of the range prizes for the raffle they had already begun to organize. Then after some seriously impressive pleading on Alice's part, the Hanson's had agreed to allow Alice to create the 'First Annual, Olivia Hanson Butterfly Ball", in aide of further research into a cure for her disease. The Hanson's were normal, quiet people who just wanted to live their lives and see their eldest child happy and healthy. I had worried that Alice and her, full on excitable personality may be too much for them, but as always, the pixie won them over and Mae was there to reign her in if she did get a little out of hand. I could also see that Mae was enjoying having a challenge to sink her teeth into. And until Alexander had become ill, I had come home many times, to find her with a phone glued to her ear, whilst her fingers flashed across the keyboard and she crooned to Alexander.

When I joked she'd wear herself out, she had laughed, but said what all our little family had; "I have to help her Carlisle…she's such a special child"

Olivia was slight and frail, but she had a big, kind heart and a feisty personality that made us all fall in love with her, but not pity her, not openly at least. Miss Olivia would not stand for that 'nonsense' as she called it. Whilst Danni had her reservations about Meg, she adored Olivia and Alice had dubbed her "mini me", when the young girl, had commented on some style related issue that Alice had been about to explode over. Alexander would sit quite comfortably on her lap, cooing and giggling as she tickled his feet, something he let hardly anyone ever do.

"You know Mister Alex Cullen, I think my sister has good taste…you're a little sweetheart…yes…yes you are…" I had heard her chuckle softly one day, when she had been waiting for her mum to bring the car round, after a visit to our house one Sunday afternoon. "But you have to promise me, that you'll be nice to her…look after her…"she said then, a weary and so adult tone to her voice. That, I was finding, was the curse of children who spent so long going in and out of hospital, they spent so much time with adults, they often became old before their time. She had blushed slightly when she had seen me standing in the doorway.

"I might not be around, to give any of her other boyfriends the 'big sister chat'…" she explained a little sadly.

It had made me so sad, but also so incredibly angry to hear such a young girl sound so resigned to the fact that she might die. Especially when there was a treatment available that could help her. I had already set Frank, my House of Lords secretary, the task of finding out what I had to do, to lodge a formal complaint against the Ministry of Health's rulings on the financial viability certain medical treatments. This was a problem that not only affected Olivia, but hundreds, maybe thousands of other innocent people both children and adult, whose life literally depend on what zip code they lived in. It wasn't right, or fair, and if I could do something to bring it to an end, I was going to.

But the wheels of politics move slowly and I wanted to make Olivia's life better, give her some fun and good memories to cherish now. Olivia wanted to be a CSI Investigator/Pathologist, more than anything else. Kids often went through phases, but after an afternoon of talking to Olivia and having some seriously tough questions about crime scene procedure thrown at me, I was convinced, that this was no childish whim.

Emmett had been in the States, giving a series of lectures about the new technique he had pioneered, for finding fingerprints on badly burnt material and metal and hadn't met Olivia. But when he'd heard about her and what we were doing, he had insisted he wanted to help and give her a personal tour of his precious lab. Although I had wanted to move sooner, knowing that Olivia's health was precarious at best, Alex, then Olivia being ill, quickly followed by La Rosa's murder, meant that I had no choice but to wait until he returned.

So that was how on a Saturday morning, I found myself leading an excited Olivia into the main crime lab. Whilst she had been impressed when she found out what Mae and I did for a living, it was here, I saw true awe and excitement light up her pale face.

"Olivia, I'd like you to meet our Director of Crime Scene Analysis…Dr E…"

"You're Dr. Emmett McCarty…" the young girl squeaked as she looked up in awe at Emmett, who had come bounding out of his office, broad smile on his face.

"And you must be Miss Olivia Hanson, my future colleague…" Emmett said warmly, holding out one his large hands. In an almost stunned silence, Olivia held out her own tiny hand.

"You…you wrote a really cool paper on mud…soils, and how the minerals and bugs they contain, can be the biggest clue to where a crime took place, if a body has been moved." She whispered "And now, you've found a way, to lift prints from severely charred materials and metals…you are…the man…" she breathed.

"Finally! Finally, my greatness has been realized…you hear that boss…out of the mouths of babes no less…I…am…THE MAN"! Emmett crowed in my face. But I could swear he was blushing, although it was hard to tell, seeing as Olivia's words, seemed to have added another few inches to his already large height.

"You've read those?" he queried.

"The soil paper yes, I downloaded the fingerprint one…but I'm a bit stuck…" she clarified.

Placing a large hand on her slight shoulder, Emmett gazed down and his new protégé

"Dr Hanson, step this way…you and I, have important scientific things to discuss…" he said imperiously.

"I'll just wait here shall I?" I teased.

Being the sweet child that she was, Olivia rushed back to me, throwing her arms around my waist and squeezing tightly.

"You're pretty cool too Carlisle…thanks…" she breathed, before skipping back to Emmett, who looked over his shoulder at me, an annoying smirk lighting up his features as he taunted;

"But…you are not…THE MAN!"

"Explain to me again, how this happened?" Alice demanded as she paced the kitchen.

"Olivia and Emmett were discussing their scientific stuff, looking down microscopes and twiddling with Bunsen burners, so I thought I'd nip out and do the little bit of shopping Mae wanted." I said

"You…left…an…impressionable…teenager…WITH EMMETT! Are you insane?" she shrieked, which caused Alexander to shriek in shock and launch one of his toys across the room.

"Aunty Alice is sorry my gorgeous boy…" Alice cooed as she handed Alex back his toy, "but you're silly Daddy has done something really stupid." It couldn't possibly have happened, but both Alice and I, were convinced, that at that moment, Alexander had given her, the intense and chilling stare that Mae was prone to give people, who attacked me either physically or verbally. He was only a baby..he couldn't…he didn't really turn his head away from her…did he? And why was I suddenly feeling incredibly proud and loved by my son?

"This ball…is meant to be a classy affair…I mean…Bella has almost persuaded Michael Buble to perform for god sakes…there is no room, for a bunch of tone deaf coppers screeching their way through 80's power ballads…" she hissed.

But what Olivia wanted, Olivia got. And the guest of honour for the Butterfly Ball, wanted to see Emmett, the man who had replaced every boy band member and TV star she had ever been remotely interested in, in her teenaged, hormonal affections, play the drums.

COP IDOL 2011 was on.


	41. Out Take 4

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN: There's quite a bit in this outtake, which I think due to RL, may be the last for awhile. I'm so glad you've enjoyed them and loved little Alex. Anyways, I hope you find something to enjoy in this. This is rated M for a reason…yes lemon…lol.**

**Now Emmett has a little rant about God towards the middle of this. I don't wish to offend anyone. Emmett's thoughts are ones I have had and ones I have heard many times, in the many hospitals I've been in. So as I say, this is in no way meant to offend, just move the fiction on. **

**Oh…and the song at the end, belongs to Bon Jovi**

**ESME POV**

The house was quiet when I walked in, too quiet.

Whilst my meeting with our new catering for the ball had over run a little, I had expected to be home in time for the end of the Alexander's dinner time, and his bath, which these days he always needed.

He had always been a hungry baby, and now we had reached the stage where we could sate that hunger, with solid food. We had quickly learnt that baby rice, carrots, sweet potato and pear and apple were good. Banana's were the worst thing in the world ever, and that anything else, would be a case of trial and error, which would involve Alexander sticking his hand in, throwing or spitting up offending tastes.

"_Your, son gets his aim and fussiness from you y'know…" _Carlisle had growled at me when I had entered the kitchen, to find him wiping a particularly vile smelling mush from his eye.

Instead, I entered the kitchen to find Carlisle moving round the kitchen wearing a KISS THE CHEF apron and…nothing else.

"He's been kidnapped…"

The look on my face, told Carlisle he had about five seconds to rephrase possibly his last words.

"By Sue and Danny. They haven't seen as much of him as they'd like, and if they're going to watch him and Danni the night of the ball, they want to spend some time with him."

"Did he eat before he went?

Carlisle grimaced.

"He did…a delightful vegetable concoction…and his beloved pear and apple mush…"

"Yummy..." I sniggered.

"Hence my attire for this evening…"

"Shame…there I was thinking it was for my benefit…or you were giving me a little preview of dessert?" I purred as I crossed the kitchen quickly, pulling a more than eager Carlisle flush against me, whilst slipping my hands round the back of his apron and cupping his ass.

"You know me too well Mrs. Cullen…" he growled as one of his own hands, slipped under the hem of my shirt, caressing my spine, before slipping beneath the waist band of my trousers and giving my own ass a squeeze.

"How long till dinner is ready by the way?" I asked innocently as I feathered the side of his lip and jaw with kisses. There was a part of me, which fretted over Alexander not being here, but right at that moment, there was a bigger part, fuelled by a day engaged in adult conversation, that wanted to enjoy my teasing, playful husband. Whatever, he had done.

Carlisle only ever cooked pasta a'la Carlisle, the meal he had made me, on our first date at the penthouse, and was making now judging by the mouthwatering smell in the air, when he was horny, and he only ever cooked it naked, when he had something to tell me that he knew I wouldn't like so much. He was prone to indulging his literal 'naked chef' fantasies, but his signature dish only emerged on very special occasions.

"Not for awhile…are you hungry?" he breathed into my neck as he kissed and sucked gently only the tender skin.

"Starving…" I replied as I moved my hands a little further forward, earning a sharp hiss and a nipping kiss from Carlisle. "But I really was, hoping to have time to go upstairs and get out of these clothes first."

"Would you like some help?" Carlisle moaned softly, as my hands began to move a little faster and become ever so slightly firmer.

"Ohhh yesss…nobody knows how to…undo me…my buttons…as well as you…especially…after…such a looooong afternoon…" I moaned as Carlisle decided two could play at my little tease, and move his own hands.

"I don't know…a house husbands work is never done…expected to be a gourmet chef in the kitchen…" Carlisle began to tease as we headed towards the stairs.

"And a stud in the bedroom…now get that sexy ass up those stairs man…" I finished for him, giving him a playful slap across the rear.

"Oooh Mae…I do love it when you get all masterful…" Carlisle chuckled.

"So you had…a good afternoon love? A good…meeting…?" Carlisle panted between our hot, messy kisses as he helped me out of my clothes.

"Uh huh…this caterer's look great…Alice has…collected statements…from…witnesses…" I breathed, growing more and more impatient at the stupid suit I was wearing, and the way it stopped me being skin to skin with the man I wanted so badly.

Was I really awful mother? Alex was sleeping better now, but could still be cranky…what if Sue and Danny couldn't cope?

"If they can survive looking after Danni with the croup…they can survive Alex…" Carlisle said suddenly, looking up at me, from his position, kneading and teasing my breasts, which had just become free, as I had managed to get my damn bra unhooked.

"You know me too well Mr. Cullen…" I whispered, using Carlisle's words from earlier against him.

"Mummy and Daddy are taking a night off…it's allowed…" Carlisle said with a small smile, as he moved my hands from my hair, which I was in the middle of taking down, to do it himself. Carlisle always loved to see my often unruly curls, loose but I always tried to tame them when I was working, which was what I had been doing this afternoon, working for Olivia.

Claiming my mouth, Carlisle tugged me back on the bed so I was lying on top of him, our arms and legs a tangled mess, his now very obvious arousal pressed between us. Whilst I had a fleeting thought of; 'its allowed because you don't want Alexander to hear the possible row that will follow you telling me, what it is you've done', Carlisle's words had pushed away my guilt for now…and I was back to being ravenous for the man laying beneath me. Covering his chest, stomach and hips with hot, messy kisses and grazes of my teeth, tounge and hands, I moved myself so that I could take him inside.

The moan that escaped him as I lowered myself slowly down over him was almost wanton and it was driving me crazy. Twining our hands I raised Carlisle's hands above his head and leant forward, deepening the angle for both of us, as I began to roll my hips. We seemed to catch each other's moans as we set a slow, teasing rhythm. Before Carlisle sat up, wrapping his arms around my back, raising his knees and crushing me to his chest. I gasped, my head falling back in pleasure at the new change in angle and the tender position. I began to whimper a little as Carlisle began to talk, a mixture of smut, which always sounded even sexier because it was rare and also because of Carlisle's accent. He then began to run his hands through my hair as he told me how much he loved me, how he would always kept me safe, how it was fine if I really didn't want to.

"Want to what Carlisle?" I breathed, stilling the motion of my hips, making him whimper and open his heavy lidded eyes.

"Huh? He muttered thickly, thrusting up into me, to try and carry on the incredible tension that had been building in us both as we fast approached the edge.

"What doesn't it matter, if I don't want to do?" I repeated.

It was hard to tell what Carlisle was feeling more pain over, the fact that I had stopped, when we were both so damn close, even though it was killing me too, or what he had to tell me.

"Harrowview…Edward and Bella…they're getting engaged, they want to…have a private party there…before one…for Bella's family and friends in the States…she has to work…or something. And Emmett…he wants to use the music rooms…rehearse…for cop Idol…I know, you only...go there…for me…" Carlisle breathed as his hands roamed my body and he desperately tried to control his erratic breathing. An effort I didn't help, by claiming his mouth in a messy but deep kiss, as I began to roll my hips against him and put the hours of post natal exercises I had done, and still did to use, by gripping him firmly inside me, causing him to lose all conscious thought once more as he moaned deeply into my mouth.

"Your home…Edward's home…you…we have to be there…so special occasion…happy…want Alex…to see it…be happy…it's his home too…" I panted round the edge of our kiss, as I began to speed up my movements once more.

Carlisle may have given Harrowview over to Edward, but it would always be his home as well, it would always be my son's home, a place he had a right to visit, enjoy and feel happy in. It was…my…family's home…my husband…my son…me…and I wasn't going to let her ruin it…I wasn't…

"Christ…Mae…I'm…so…pleeease…don't stop…." Carlisle almost begged, snapping me out of my musing long enough, to see that I now had a firm grip of his shoulders as I rode him, hard and fast, raising almost all the way off of him, before squeezing him and slamming back down.

"Mine…" I growled.

It didn't take much longer, before Carlisle and I crashed over the edge, intensely and noisily. I collapsed shaking and exhausted onto his chest, where he held me for a long moment as he tried to steady his own breathing and heart, which I could feel thundering against my cheek.

"I think we have to settle for takeaway for dinner love, as I'm really not sure I can walk…let alone get downstairs to the kitchen…" he said finally.

I chuckled softly.

"I'm sorry baby…" I said, kissing his chest, before rolling off him.

"I'm not…" Carlisle growled, stretching out a long arm and pulling me back to him.

"I meant what I said though…I know you only go to Harrowview for my sake really…and I only really go for Edward. If you can't face it, Edward said, they would move the party…"

"NO!" I said sharply. "I meant what I said as well…or what I tried to say…this is a special occasion for Edward, Bella…you…and I do want Alex to see; the house, the village, the people. He's a Cullen…he belongs there…" I said roughly.

"Do you know how much I love you, my beautiful, brave…sexy as hell wife?" Carlisle said, as his hand twisted in my hair and he pulled my face up to his.

"Don't tell me…show me…"I replied. I believed everything I was thinking, saying, and I knew there was no way she…that house could ever hurt me…or my little family, I truly did. But there was, would always be, that tiny fear, that little voice that only Carlisle could silence.

"With pleasure…my love…" Carlisle said softly, as he covered my body protectively with his own and began to slowly, sweetly, tenderly, show me and tell me just how much he loved me.

Dinner was served, a lot later than planned, but still tasting amazing, thanks to our sudden ravenous appetites, on trays as we sprawled across the sofa in the lounge watching TV. Before we collapsed back into bed and enjoyed a rare and much needed uninterrupted night's sleep.

The following weekend, Carlisle, Alexander and I, travelled down to Harrowview for Edward and Bella's engagement party. We were met on the drive, by the sight of Jasper leading a tiny Shetland pony, on top of which, sat Danielle strapped into a baby support saddle, wearing an adorable riding outfit and helmet. I saw the light flick on in Carlisle's eyes.

"Don't even think about it…Carlisle, he's just six months old…" I warned.

Carlisle muttered grumpily to himself as he climbed out of the car.

But as it turned out, it wasn't Carlisle I had to worry about attempting to buy, or sit Alexander on a horse, it was Edward. He had swooped on his nephew almost the moment we had stepped through the door, anxious to show him round. Alex had slept most of the drive down, so after changing and feeding him, I had let Edward and Alex escape, whilst Carlisle and I caught up with Bella, Alice, Jasper and our goddaughter, who seemed to have taken to country house life, like a duck to water.

We were in the lounge, when Edward and Alex returned an hour later.

"He is really alert isn't he? Watching, listening to everything…and he's got no fear…I thought he might be a bit afraid…"

"Of what?" Carlisle and I demanded in unison.

Edward paled.

"His new pony…" he mumbled quickly as he handed me back my son and almost flew across the other side of the room.

"Don't look at me…" Carlisle said quickly, raising his hands in defense.

"Well…when Jazz and I…"

"Woah there…don't bring me into it…" Jasper said quickly.

Edward glared at Jasper.

"When I went to see about buying Danni's pony the breeder told me, that Twilight…had a brother…called Eclipse…and…well…I figured, he's going to need a pony to learn to ride on…and he's very cute…and Alex really likes him…patted him and laughed…" Edward babbled.

"Edward honey, do yourself a favour…shut up…" Bella said sweetly, causing even me to laugh.

"You Cullen men…too generous for your own good…" I sighed, rolling my eyes, whilst trying to hide my smile.

"What do you say to Uncle Edward?" I asked Alex, who was on my knee struggling to get down.

"Fank oo…" Danni piped up from her position on the floor. And whilst Edward beamed at what Danielle had said, it was the gummy smile that Alex flashed him, that saw his green eyes sparkle with delight.

A mixture of the new location, over excitement and the teeth that were slowly starting to come through, meant that Alexander was restless during our first night at Harrowview. Carlisle insisted that I enjoy a soak in the tub and that he would settle him. I tried, I really did, but I could not shake the unease I felt, at having my son separated from me in this house. Her wing was gone, even Carlisle's rooms had been moved, that damn bathroom, bricked up, but I couldn't relax and after a quick soak, I went to look for them, bumping into Rose in the corridor.

"Last I saw, they were in the library…Carlisle was giving Alex a little history lesson..." she said softly.

"And this wonderful man, this…this is your Granddad Aro. We haven't got a big painting of him; like we have the others…it got damaged…" I heard Carlisle say, as I quietly stepped into the library, which was lined from floor to ceiling with books and portraits of the various generations of Cullen men. Carlisle was sat in one of the large leather winged backed chairs in front of the fireplace, Alex on his lap, a silver picture frame, containing a lovely picture of Aro, taken here at Harrowview, shortly before he got ill.

"Aro was my Daddy. And he was a great Daddy. We had our moments, like you and I will over the years I'm sure. You're mummy thinks that you're getting more and more like me every day…although, I'm still convinced you get your stubbornness from her…but don't tell her I said so…" Carlisle chuckled. "But deep down, especially as I got older…l knew how much Aro loved me, wanted what was best for me. When everyone else, was telling me that being a policeman was a bad idea…Granddad Aro…he was the one encouraging me to go for it, if it was really what I wanted, if it was what would make me happy. '_There's nothing worse, than having to get up every morning, to go to a job you hate son."_That's what he told me…and he was right…yes he was. He was right about your Mummy too…told me in no uncertain terms, that she was the best damn thing that ever happened to me…and that I would regret letting…people…come between us…" Carlisle said, his tone becoming rough with emotion. Alex was a very empathic little man, and I could almost see him turn his head and fix Carlisle with his big blue eyes, which would be full of concern at the change in tone as he whimpered softly.

"Oh don't look so worried son…it may have taken me a ridiculously long amount of time and a lot of pain to realize he was right, but I did. And I got your Mummy back…and she…amazing woman that she is, made me even happier…by giving me…you…my beautiful…beautiful little boy…" Carlisle said, his tone dripping with love and pride.

"Aww…are you giving Daddy Alexander kisses? Thank you…" he cooed.

I felt my heart clench as I imagined Carlisle leaning over Alexander's face, rubbing his nose gently with his own Eskimo style, whilst Alexander touched his face and gummed on the end of his nose. Whilst we had engaged in giving Alex Eskimo kisses since he was born, it was only recently, he had responded with his own little touches and coos, stealing another piece of our hearts as he did so.

"So you see son, you Granddad Aro, he was a very clever, wise man. And although I don't know if I'll ever match him for that…I want you to know, that I will love you, support and encourage you just as much as he did me…always…and forever. Because you…Master Alexander Jonathan Cullen…are my very precious boy…and I love you more than all the chocolate biscuits and all the tea in the entire world…" Carlisle chuckled. Whilst I measured my love in terms of the moon and stars, Carlisle used all his favourite sweets as his yardstick, which without fail, probably because of the silly tone in his voice, sent Alexander into peals of laughter.

Slipping out of the room, leaving Carlisle to tell our son more stories about the wonderful grandfather he never had chance to meet, my thoughts turned to Jane.

"I hope you can hear that wherever you are. Hear how happy and content your son is with me…with our child, the child you told me he would never want, that I could never raise properly. I hope my son's every breath, every laugh, every loving look at me and his father cause you nothing but agony. This house, this life…it belongs to me…me, my Carlisle…and OUR son…"

Edward and Bella's engagement party was more of a barbeque for close friends, family and a few trusted people from the village, including the infamous Mrs. Roper and Mrs. Green, who we found, were a lot less likely to gossip, if they were fussed over a little. And as much as they were thrilled by the thought of another Cullen wedding, they were even more taken with Alexander, who I barely caught a glimpse of the entire afternoon, until he was handed back to me with a full nappy and a chocolate stained face, by a sheepish looking Emmett.

I had been determined that Alex wouldn't develop Carlisle's sweet tooth, preferring him to get his sugar fix from fruit. But as Sue had told me, she had tried to do the same with Carlisle, but he had developed it anyway. Whilst trying to ban sweets from Edward as a child, saw him end up with a broken arm after he fell from a chair trying to reach for some hidden away on a high shelf. So why not let Alexander just have a little in moderation.

I knew she was right of course, but I could have quite happily of killed Emmett later that night, when it seemed to take forever to settle Alexander. I was just tucking him in when I felt Carlisle wrap himself around me from behind, resting his head on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry…I should have stayed and helped…" he breathed into my neck.

"No love, part of the reason you came down here, was to rehearse for Cop Idol…and you needed to spend some time with Edward." I said moving us away from Alex, as Carlisle had had a few drinks and cigarettes by the smell of it.

"Apart from the littlest vampire playing up…did you have a nice night with the girls?" he asked flopping back onto the bed.

"I did. How was your night? Do you think you have a chance of wowing them at the ball?" I teased as I flopped back next to him.

Carlisle snorted with laughter so loudly; we both looked fearfully at the travel cot. But it seemed Alex was truly out for the count and slept on.

"It was nice to play again…but no…I don't think the winner's trophy or prize will be mine…" he said.

"Shame…we could do with a family holiday…before I go back to work…" The winner of Cop Idol would receive a trophy and weeklong expenses paid trip to the Lake District. My maternity leave was due to end in five weeks time, and whilst I was only going back part time to start with, flying a desk, I really did want to spend a bit of quality family time together, before our routine changed once more.

"Great minds Mrs. Cullen…I was thinking the same thing…well, I was thinking that…and about the fact that I have never really thanked you properly for giving me my beautiful little Vampire boy…" Carlisle laughed turning his head to face me.

"How many have you had Copper?" I teased, turning to look at him.

"I'll have you know Mrs. Woman…I am as sober as a…ok...I am a liiittle bit drunk…"Carlisle said, holding his fingers slightly apart, a silly grin on his face.

"Uh huh…and Carlisle…I think you've thanked me every day, for the last six months…and you gave me a rather beautiful and incredibly expensive piece of jewellery…"

"Oh yeah…still doesn't feel like it's enough though…" he pouted, looking so adorable, I had to kiss him.

"Beer, cigarettes and, cheese and onion crisps…yummy…" I growled.

"They ran out of smoky bacon…"

"Oh lucky me…Carlisle no…stop…stop…" I hissed as he launched himself at me and began to tickle me.

"He's out for the count…he emptied all the e numbers he had in his nappy and the country air's got him…" Carlisle slurred slightly as he cast a quick look at the cot.

"I do love you Mae…" he said softly as he gazed down at me from where he was looming over me.

"As I love you…" I replied reaching up and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Thank you…for coming down here this weekend…I know it's hard for you…and having Alex here…must make it even harder…but…"

"Sssh now…" I said placing my fingers against his lips, which suddenly had twisted into a wide grin.

"That's it…if you won't let me thank you anymore for Alex, then it can be…a thank you for being so amazing and brave, that sometimes I really can't believe that I am lucky enough to have such an amazing woman as my wife present." He babbled, rolling off of me and scrabbling around in the bed side table drawer.

"Ok…you really are drunk. Carlisle…what have you done…bought?" I asked warily as I sat up.

"Technically, I haven't bought anything…well; I have in a way…but not in the way that you mean."

"Carlisle!" I snapped.

"You know how Peter can't stop thanking us, for everything we did, went through getting Georgia back? Well…he knows how much we love it at the Villa on the Island…so he's given it to us…I tried to stop him, even tried to get Embry to stop him, but he wouldn't."

"He's given us the Island?" I queried in disbelief.

"Yep…that hammock that view…the peace…it's all ours…all of ours…" he said waving his arm to include Alex.

"So…so what did you buy then, if he gave you the island..?" I asked confused.

"I bought…it's name…It's taken forever to get the paperwork sorted, especially when I found out that the name I wanted was taken, but it finally came through the other day and…we…you…are now the proud owners of Isle Esme…" Carlisle declared proudly, as he handed me the deeds.

My shock and confusion on my face, as Carlisle began to babble nervously once more.

"Love, I know you don't like using the name Esme…but…" his words were cut off as I launched myself on top of him and pinned him to the bed.

"I love you so damn much, you crazy, drunken fool…" I hiccoughed, not caring that the tears were running unchecked down my face.

"What…what about…waking the baby..?" Carlisle panted as I began to ravage him.

"Well Detective Chief Superintendant Cullen, you are going to have to, come…very quietly…do you think you can do that?" I growled.

"Yes Maaam…"

"_I can hear her heart beat, for a thousand miles,_

_And the heaven's open up, every time she smiles,_

"Have I told you how breathtakingly beautiful you look tonight Mrs. Cullen and how proud I am of you and all you've achieved tonight and how very much I adore you?" Carlisle whispered in my ear as he pulled me flush against his body and began to move us gently round the floor that was filling up with couples, eager to enjoy one last moment of peace and a little romance, before the chaos of COP IDOL took over the night.

"Not for at least two hours…" I giggled softly. Carlisle's first compliment, had come at home, when I had finally emerged from the bathroom, after almost two hours of following Alice's detailed, written instructions on the makeup and hair style I needed to complement my outfit. I had just been putting the finishing touches to the, for me, dark eye makeup when I heard Carlisle talking to Alexander.

"_Round and round the Garden, like a teddy bear…one step, two steps…tickly under there…" Carlisle had laughed, causing Alex to explode into peals of his own deep and very cute laugh_

"_Carlisle! I want him to settle for Danny and Sue, not be awake half the night, because you've got him all over excited…" I had scolded._

"_It's not my fault!" Carlisle had called back. "When I told him how beautiful you were going to look tonight, he told me that he really wanted to see for himself…"_

"_Really Carlisle…blaming the baby, because you're getting bored waiting for…" I had begun to say as I emerged from the ensuite, but stopped in the doorway, when I had seen Carlisle's face. Shock had given way to delight, pride and a spine tingling amount of lust. _

"_I don't know who's dribbling more, you or the baby…" I had teased softly, as I approached our bed, where despite being dressed in his tux, minus the jacket, Carlisle had flung himself as he played with Alexander, who was sat propped on some pillows, a pile of toys around him._

"_So, my beautiful blue eyed boy…was I worth the wait?" I had asked a little shyly. Carlisle rose to his feet, standing before me._

_I adored my dress, it was a strapless full length white gown, that had colourful butterflies beautifully embroidered on the bodice and skirt, and red accents along the bust line, sash and the small fishtail and the slits that ran up either leg. I had been worried that it may not fit, that I may look lumpy in the wrong places, but it had fit me like a glove, and after I had swept up my hair, allowing a few loose curls to fall in order to keep Carlisle happy, and applied the quite striking makeup. I felt, for the first time in a long time, like Mae the woman, rather than Mae the Mommy. _

"_I can't speak for the little boy, but this big boy, would wait forever for a vision as stunning as you…" he had said softly, as he kissed me. It was brief, but incredibly tender and full of promise. As did his intense, bone melting gaze, that told me in no uncertain terms, how much he loved seeing Mae the woman. We had been out a few times since Alex was born, but nowhere that required us to be so formal and under such public scrutiny. So there was a part of me that loved and took great strength from Carlisle's continued whispered compliments, his warm touches, or even just his smiles as we caught each other's eye as we worked each side of the large ballroom._

_My son, had seemed a little uncertain and confused by my new look, tilting his head and observing me very closely for a good five minutes, before he gave me a smile and attempted to yank out one of my earrings. _

"That long? Damn! Forgive me my darling…" Carlisle chuckled softly, before he dipped me back over his arm slightly, then pulled me back up, so that I saw his beautiful blue eyes, shining with laughter, a little lust and love and adoration that had been enhanced, rather than created by the few drinks he had had, as liquid courage for his upcoming performance, or the comical levels of jealousy that Michael Buble's presence had created amongst the men in the room.

_And when I come to her, that's just where I belong…_ Carlisle crooned softly, skimming the soft skin behind my ear and along my cheek with his lips, his warm breath making me shiver. Carlisle wasn't drunk, he was merry, relaxed and it was a wonderful sight to see, to feel. Apart from having an incredibly busy and stressful time at work, thanks to various gangs trying to prove that they were the ones that should fill the gap left by Tony La Rosa's death, Carlisle had been as anxious as Alice and I were, that tonight, the first annual Olivia Hanson Butterfly Ball, went to plan, and raised the money that Olivia so badly needed.

And there had been a few close calls. Bella having trouble physically getting hold of the autographed and valuable merchandise that her show business friends had promised, our original catering firm going bust for failing to pay their taxes, the threat of building work at the hotel running over, Alice having a meltdown and driving me nuts when she had to spend a week in Tiffany's New York office for work. She had queried every decision I had made, and rung people to check that I had actually called them, even going as far as over ruling a couple of decisions. It had been the first time since Carlisle and I had split up, that Alice and I had had a real fight. Carlisle and Jasper had begged us both to make up, but pride meant that we hadn't spoken for almost ten days, placing both of our poor husbands in a really awkward and stressful position. It had taken the biggest threat to the success of the ball, to bring us back together.

Olivia had caught a fairly mild dose of the cold that was going around, but because of her condition, it had quickly become life threateningly serious. And three weeks before the ball, we had all found ourselves in the Intensive Care waiting room, trying to offer some support to her terrified parents who had quickly become two of our dearest friends, who were facing the very real possibility of losing their child. I had been just arriving at the hospital to collect Carlisle, when the little pixie had sprung out of nowhere and held out her hand.

"_Hi, I'm Alice, I'm a neurotic control freak who can, will and has driven you totally nuts…but I'm working on my issues with the help of a really good friend, who has ALMOST as good a sense of taste as me. Oh, and because my daughter will NEVER, EVER forgive me, if she has to go any longer without seeing and playing with her favourite blue eyed baby." She sang, bouncing nervously from foot to foot and almost drawing blood from her lower lip she was biting it so hard. _

_Emotions had been running so high and everyone had been so determined to make everything as perfect as possible for our new special friend, it was inevitable that there would be clashes, especially as it was the first time that Alice had had, someone working with her, actually contributing ideas rather than just letting her get on with it. And when it came down to it, our petty squabble had been nothing compared to the real trauma Julian and Carina were facing. So Alice and I, had hugged, kissed and shed a few tears as we made up, much to the total delight of our husbands._

_Of all of us however, it was Emmett that was most effected by almost losing Olivia. After their initial meeting, the bond between the two of them had gone from strength to strength, with Rose joking that if Olivia was ten years older, she would have had competition for Emmett's affections_. _As it was, Emmett had for Olivia, become the crazy but cool and incredibly intelligent older brother she had always wanted, whilst Rose had become an older sister, who understood her dream to want to make a mark in the world despite her disabilities.._

_Instead of finding Emmett sat by Olivia's bed, jokingly reading the contents of a teenage magazine, the latest pathology research he had completed, or softly playing her the songs he was going to perform in COP IDOL, I found him in the chapel._

"_He spent the night of the fire there too, when we were waiting for you to come out of surgery…" Carlisle told me later._

_I hadn't wanted to disturb Emmett, but as lapsed a Catholic as I was, I wanted for what it was worth, to light a candle for Olivia._

"_Dunno why I come here really. I'm the epitome of a collapsed Catholic. Only set foot in a church for Weddings, Christenings and Funerals…" Emmett said dully, without turning from his position staring at the altar._

"_You don't have to go to Church Em..To believe in God." I had replied, slipping into the pew next to him._

_His snort of laughter had echoed noisily in the small room._

"_That's the thing though Mae, I don't think I really do believe in God anymore. I've seen too many evil, horrible things in the world…And what type of God would let a beautiful, smart, funny, innocent young girl like Olivia suffer like this? Let any child suffer, when there is evil, perverted scum walking around?" he demanded._

"_And still, when the going gets tough, we pray…bargain…" I said giving his big arm a squeeze, in the hope of trying to calm him. I had never seen Emmett so emotional or so bitter and it had been quite intimidating. It was nothing however, to what I felt when he spun round to look at me, his usually laughing eyes blazing with bitterness._

"_Oh, I don't bargain or beg anymore Mae…there's no point. It doesn't work…he doesn't listen. I mean, if he did, then he would have heard me when I spent every evening for a fortnight…on my knees, reciting every damn prayer I knew…begging, pleading with him, not to let my Dad die. The nun's at school told me…they promised me, that if he was going to listen to anyone's prayers…it would be those of a desperate child…and I was so desperate Mae…he was a good man my Dad…and Olivia…she's just a baby, an innocent…so much to live for…how can he let this happen? Why? It's not fair…it's so not fair…"_

_And I had no words to answer my big, brash, loving friend, who had slumped broken and sobbing in my arms for over half an hour. All I could tell him was what I believed. That there had to be someone up their listening, someone showing mercy, granting second chances, because it was the only way I could explain how I had been blessed and that was how I truly felt, to have been given a second chance of a life with Carlisle and our beautiful boy._

And whilst Emmett may have not been totally convinced, his hurts being too deep, he had to believe his eyes, when Olivia began to rally just as fast as she had gone downhill. She had emerged from hospital a week later and thoroughly enjoyed the 'personal shopper' experience Alice and Rose had provided her with. Bringing a rack of dresses and a tray of jewellery, for her to choose from at home. Leaving me, to oversee the final touches to the ballroom. The lighting in the room was muted, so that the large metal butterfly lamps hanging from the ceiling complete with wings full of pin pricks of coloured lights, that cast shadows across the floor, could be seen at their best. The chairs at the tables dressed in Olivia's favourite colours of Chocolate Brown and Teal, were more throne like, thanks to the intricate metal work a friend of Alice's had done to them. The main feature of the room however, was the large, butterfly shaped stage in the centre of the room, where the guest of honour, lookingvery pretty in a teal coloured party dress, her hair falling in soft ringlets down her back, had nervously thanked everyone for coming, before informing Michael Buble, that 'he'd better be as good as everyone said he was'.

Olivia was still very weak, but she had insisted on dancing with her friends, her Dad…and Emmett, who after sitting and brooding as he watched her dancing with a boy called Sam from school, had decided to playfully cut in. Not that Olivia had really minded. The look she had given Emmett, as she had placed her feet on his large ones and let him lead her gently round the floor, had reduced us all to tears.

_She's got a fine sense of humour, when I'm feelin low down,_

"So…are you going to tell me why I saw you borrowing a tin of talcum powder from your son this evening?" I asked quietly. Carlisle looked shocked for a minute, before smirking at me.

"Trust me love…you really don't want to know…"

_And when I come to her, when the sun goes down, she takes away_

_My trouble, takes away my grief, takes away my heart ache in the night like a thief. _

"Oh God…playing at Harrowview, or in the pub is one thing…but this. It's not like we've got a chance of winning, not that I want to…but I have to try and pretend like I'm in charge of this rabble Monday morning. Messing about with a guitar was fine back in the day…" Carlisle suddenly babbled nervously.

_She gives me love, love, love…crazy love…_

I stopped him with a brief kiss.

"If it's any consolation my love, you will have one very loyal, loving groupie here in the front row…" I purred in his ear, earning a low rumbling growl.

"And if you need anymore reassurance that you are doing the right thing love…just look over there…" I said softly. Carlisle followed my gaze, to see Olivia in the far corner of the room, taking a few deep, but rattling breaths on the portable oxygen cylinder that had been hidden under her table.

"If this wasn't for charity…me and Sgt Cook would be having words…" Alice growled as she shook her wet hands, all over me."

"Her husband was in the audience…she could have been singing to him…" Rose offered, trying both not to laugh, or inflame Alice any further.

"Well if she was, she needs to get herself to an optician because she has a serious squint problem…she was staring at Jasper the whole time…" Alice snapped.

It was wrong to laugh, but an obviously drunk Sgt Cook had sung the Faith Hill ballad There You'll Be, directly at poor Jasper, who was sat squirming in the front row.

"Well what about Jake…we certainly saw more of him than we expected…" Bella offered quickly. Thankfully, it had had the desired effect, as Alice, Rose and myself creased up with laughter, as we remembered how poor Jake's oversized jeans he had worn, to perform a rap song, had slipped down, to reveal boxers with love hearts on them.

"Ok… so does anyone have ANY, damn idea what are men are going to play? Emmett's been driving me nuts, playing every damn 80's rock album he owns…and that is a LOT of albums…" Rose shuddered.

"Not a clue…I've tried pleading and begging with Edward, not a thing…" Bella said.

"All I know, is that Carlisle stole some talcum powder fro Alexander before we came out…"

Rose suddenly went pale.

"He wouldn't …not infront of everyone…" she almost whimpered.

Before we could demand that she explain, we heard the compere for the evening a radio DJ, announce that our boys The Thief Takers, were about to take to the stage.

Hurrying through the ballroom, we joined Olivia on the front table. The young girl was looking pale and tired, but her eyes were alive with excitement.

"This is going to be soooooo cool." She squeaked.

"You know what they're playing?" we demanded in unison.

"Well yeah…" she replied in that typical teenage way, that made you feel so stupid for asking.

"Oh Jesus…he has…I can never, ever show my face in public again…" Rose groaned.

Looking up at the stage, I saw that Emmett had changed from his tux, into a pair of leather trousers…He bowed graciously to the cat calls and whistles that echoed up around us, including those from me, Alice, Bella and Olivia. But my breath caught in my throat, when Carlisle appeared on the stage, wearing a pair of tight black jeans and a black T-shirt, his favourite electric guitar slung low over his shoulder.

Lack of time, meant that Carlisle did not play as much as he used to when we first met. And whilst I didn't know for sure, how good he sounded when he played, having only heard him pick out a few soft tunes on his old Spanish guitar for Alexander, he could still reduce me to the state of a speechless, hormonal groupie.

He looked HOT. The black T-shirt highlighting his hair, his eyes and his firm abs as it rose up a little. As for the way his jeans clung…ever damn wear…

"WAITER…We need some ice here…NOW!" Alice barked, unable to take her eyes from Jasper, who was dressed similarly.

"I…he…hot…wow…" Bella mumbled.

With a wink to Olivia and a final shake of his ass, to the cheering crowd, Emmett took his place behind the drums, whilst Edward moved to the keyboards and Carlisle and Jasper took their places, a little nervously behind the microphones.

"This…this…song…has been requested, by a very special young lady…I just hope we can do it justice…" Carlisle said smoothly.

Emmett raised his drum sticks above his head, counting the boys in;

"_This ain't a song for the broken hearted…" _Carlisle growled in his deep, raspy and sexy as hell voice.

_A silent prayer for a faith departed._

_I ain't gonna be a face in the crowd,_

_They're gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud._

_It's my life…_

It took the audience a long moment to realize what they were seeing and hearing, but when they did, they were cheering and clapping like crazy, giving Carlisle and Jasper the confidence to let go and have some fun. Coming together at the mike, their voices blending together to make an incredibly sexy low rumbling sound.

_This is for the ones that stood their ground…_

_Tommy and Geena…never backed down…_

_I aint gonna live forever…_

I was as struck by the poignancy and irony of some of the words, when taken in context of Olivia's life. But the young girl was happy and enjoying herself so I was able to enjoy the sight of Carlisle, enjoying every moment of being on stage, letting his long, nimble fingers work the stings of his guitar. I was fascinated by the muscles rippling beneath the skin of his strong arms and the sexy way in which his hair fell across his eyes as he played.

_I just wanna live while I'm alive…_

_My heart is like an open high way…_

It was probably coincidence, but Carlisle chose that moment, to fix me with an intense gaze, his blue eyes were like fire… his smirk lethal as he changed the lines he was singing,

_Like Frankie said, we did it our way…_

_IT'S OUR LIFE!"_


	42. Chapter 42

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN: There are lots of reasons why I have been away for so long- to cut a long story short, real life is kicking my ass at the moment. Anyway, I would just like to say again, that your continued support for me and this story never ceases to amaze and make me smile, it really does mean a great deal. Now, whilst I can't honestly tell you when Carlisle and Mae will return in full form, I'm hoping you may enjoy this one shot, that considering what the main story was about..sort of had to be mentioned.**

**ESME POV**

It was hard to tell who was more excited or frustrated, as I paced the arrivals lounge at Heathrow airport with a squirming Alexander in my arms. Carlisle had been away, speaking at and co-chairing a Joint Operations security conference in Washington for ten days. He had wanted me to come, but I was still settling into my new role as 'Operational Co-ordinator' for my newly created United States European Investigation and Liaison Force.

After the extent of Marcus' 'indiscretions and almost fatal betrayals had been discovered, my office had been totally reorganised, not that I had been overly concerned at the time, as I had Alexander and Carlisle to care for. But as I became more and more ready to return to work, even in a less field based role, I had been worried if there would still be a place for me.

I needn't have been.

Frank Turner, the 'new broom' sent from Washington to 'clean up Marcus' shit' had asked me to write my own cheque and schedule.

"_Seriously Mae, everyone in Washington knows that without you, Carlisle and the SCI team stepping in the way you did, relations between England and America could have been set back years. And now with power vacuum that has been created by Bin Laden being taken out, we need to watch each other's backs more than ever. This war is far from over" _he had informed me gravely over one of the three very expensive lunches he had insisted on buying me.

So after some serious discussion with Carlisle, I had agreed to go back on a part time advisory and troubleshooting capacity until Alexander was older. I wanted, needed to work, to be Agent Marshall Cullen again, but I also needed to spend as much time with my beautiful, funny, changing every day little boy.

And ten days wasn't that long.

Three and a half weeks however...

"_Mae, I have tried everywhere, tried bribing, threatening to arrest, but there are no flights, no boats and most of the damn roads are closed because of this damn fog. It's like being in some crazy horror movie it's so thick."_

"_Don't you dare try and drive Carlisle Cullen..." I had snapped _when Carlisle had called on the third night past his return date to inform me that severe storms and bad weather in Europe had made travel impossible.

We talked on the phone, both our land line and cell phone bills would be in four figures, we Skyped, which was kind of fun until one night when Carlisle had signed off and Alexander had looked between the dark screen and me, his little brow creasing in confusion before he forlornly announced;

"Dada gone."

Alexander's babbles were still largely unintelligible, but there were a few words that stood out clearly, including the two words that had reduced Carlisle and I to grinning, weeping lunatics, when he had first uttered them.

Mamma and Dada.

_When I had announced my decision to return to work, Alice and Mrs Doyle our domestic had announced that they would split him between them. _

"_You don't want some prissy Nanny or some lazy, but hot au pair in your house with your baby Mae. This way Alex gets to keep to his routines with people he knows, who love him..." Alice had informed Carlisle and I matter of factly. _

_And it was a situation that seemed to work. As although Alexander did grizzle and sometimes launch into a full blown, heart breaking, 'you are an awful mother, how can you leave me?' wail when I left the house, he was happy and settled with Mrs Doyle, Alice and Danielle. And I was slowly, getting used to the horrible guilt I felt leaving him. Until of course the day I had arrived at Alice's to collect him to hear to Alexander's cries from inside the house, and Alice trying to calm him. I had been seconds away from ripping the door of off its hinges when she had opened it, Alex on her hip, her own face pale with shock._

_A new family had moved in three doors away from Alice and Jasper, bringing with them a large Siberian Husky dog that looked more like a wolf than a dog. It had spent the last week digging under fences, before finally appearing in Alice's garden and terrifying Danielle and Alexander who had been playing there. Despite the dog being almost as big as she was, Alice had flown at the creature with a broom, snatching up the two screaming children before locking them all safely back in the house. The owners, who had received and ignored complaints about the dogs barking and messing in other people's gardens, had had the shock of their lives when Carlisle and Jasper had turned up on their door step later that night. The owners paid for all three fences to be repaired and new concrete foundations poured._

_Alice would tell me this later, as the moment he saw me, Alexander had practically launched himself towards me, arms outstretched, whimpering a very clear;_

"_Mamma" _

"_Mamma's here baby...Mamma's here...I've got you." I had crooned as I had wrapped him in my arms and stroked his head which he had buried tightly into the crook of my neck._

_Carlisle would tell me later, as I lay sniffling into his chest, that he too had felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest with love, pride and excitement when Alexander had called him Dadda clearly for the first time. _

_I knew I was Alexander's mother, had felt a connection with him almost from the moment I had first felt him move inside me, but to actually hear him say it, To see him recognise me, to announce to the world...Alice...that I, was his Mamma. It made me smile every time I thought about it. A fact that if I didn't know better, I swear my clever little boy noticed, as if I ever did get cross at him for anything, he would simply turn to me, fix me with a gummy grin and utter that magic word. _

"Dadada Plane..." Alexander's babble and heavy handed thump of the window overlooking the runways were several planes were waiting dragged me from my musings and focused my attention back to the large board to my left, which had just announced that the 4.30pm flight from Geneva had just landed.

"Yes baby, Daddy's plane has just landed...won't be long now..." I giggled, planting a noisy wet kiss on his cheek, causing him to erupt into fits of deep giggles as he tried to push my face away.

Carlisle looked tired, but sexy as he strode through the doors into the hall, his long dark over coat flapping open over his dark blue jeans, light blue shirt and grey sweater. It took him a minute for him to spot us, but when he did, his smile was breathtaking.

"God I've missed you." He breathed before claiming my mouth in a brief, but incredibly passionate kiss that left me flushed, breathless and kind of desperate to get home.

I ended up towing Carlisle's case, as Alexander had flung himself over the barrier into Carlisle's arms and refused to let go of him, whilst Carlisle in turn, refused to move the arm he had wrapped firmly round my waist.

"He's changed so much..." Carlisle sighed as he we headed out to the car park.

"Do you think so?" I asked in genuine surprise.

"Yes, his hairs got longer...he feels heavier...he's got new words...and is that a new tooth?"

"The one at the side? Yeah...that one was painful for both of us...poor baby suffered for that one." I said as I loaded Carlisle's case in the boot and Carlisle settled Alexander in his seat.

"I'm sorry Mae." Carlisle said as he slid into the passenger seat beside me.

"Stop it, you're a powerful man Carlisle, but not even you can control the weather." I teased. "And you're home now...that's the important thing." I said, surprised and a little embarrassed to hear my voice cracking a little with emotion.

"And I can't tell you, how fucking glad I am..." Carlisle sighed as he took my hand which was resting on the steering wheel and raised it to his mouth.

"Well, maybe you can show me later." I chuckled softly, desperate to lighten the mood again.

"Oh don't worry Mrs Cullen..." he said shifting in his seat, so his lips were by my ear. "I fully intend to"

As it turned out, between dealing with an over excited Alexander and Jasper calling round with some paper work and case papers that needed Carlisle's urgent attention, we weren't alone again, until I felt Carlisle slip into bed beside me sometime just after midnight. I couldn't help but sigh as I felt him wrap his long, lean, naked body around mine from behind and pull me back so I was flush against his chest.

Within minutes, we both fell into the deepest and most restful sleep either of us had had in weeks.

* * *

I was in that place between waking and sleeping, where you're not entirely sure what is real and what is a dream, when I felt warm breath on my neck quickly followed by hot, wet, suckling kisses that sent crackles of need shooting up and down my spine.

I had had this dream several times whilst Carlisle was away, my body happily playing along with the tricks being played on it by my desperate mind. Arching and reacting to the feel of his arms around me, his large hands, dragging torturously slowly along my sides, over my breasts, my stomach, between my legs, only for me to wake up to realise in frustration, that it was my own hand. And that I was feeling the long bolster pillow I had placed down Carlisle's side of the bed behind me.

This morning however, my dream felt different, felt more real...more detailed. I had never, felt Carlisle's arousal pressing against my back before and he had never spoken...as he was doing now;

"Mrs Cullen you naughty girl, I really do hope it's dreaming about me, that has you touching yourself like that...and feeling so wet..." he growled lowly in my ear.

"Carlisle!" I gasped both in shock and pleasure as I felt his fingers begin to move between my slick folds.

"Good morning." He chuckled against my neck, his teasing naughty tone sending a fresh wave of need crashing through me.

"So it seems you missed me, almost as much as I missed you..." he continued as his fingers continued to move and pick up pace.

"Oh god yessss." I hissed my back arching in an attempt to get closer to him, to some kind of release.

"I don't about you though...it never feels quite as intense...as good...when you're forced to take matters...into your own hands..." he rasped, his dangerous mouth and tounge nipping, licking and suckling at my neck in a way he knew drove me crazy.

I could only answer him with a whimper as my body, that had missed his touch almost, to the point of physical pain over the last few weeks, began to hurtle towards the edge of a much needed release. I was writhing, gripping desperately at Carlisle's arms, the sheets, myself, anything to try and ground myself a little as I was overwhelmed by this intense rush of pleasure.

And then it stopped.

Carlisle had stilled the movement of his hand. But before I had chance to whimper in almost agony, I was overwhelmed by an even greater sensation, as Carlisle pulled me back towards him, securing my leg over his hip as he slid into me from behind.

Whilst he could stifle the sound of his deep, almost animalistic moan at the intense feeling of us being reconnected so intimately and deeply in my neck and shoulder, I had to grab a pillow. Alexander, who was now in his own room, wasn't a light sleeper, but I knew my screams would wake him if I didn't try and muffle them.

"I'm...sorry...Mae...but you...look...feel...I need...so badly..." Carlisle managed to ground out as he manouevered my hips against his own.

"Kiss me." I almost begged as I turned my head towards him. His eyes were almost black and desperate with need, for me that had almost, seen him forget to be my kind, considerate husband and just take me. I couldn't love or want him more at this moment.

It didn't take long before both of us fell apart, gripping onto each other almost desperately as we were overcome by an almost painfully intense release.

"Are you ok?" I asked, a little concerned a short time later, when I had managed to get my breathing under some kind of control and turn round, so I could face him and curl up against his chest.

Carlisle who was now laying flat on his back and still panting, nodded.

"I feel amazing, I just don't think I'll be able to walk for awhile..." he sniggered.

"That was pretty..."

"Incredible...you are one dangerously sexy woman Mrs. Cullen" He chuckled, pulling me tightly against him.

"You'd better believe it baby...and do you the best part?" I said, resting my chin on his chest and looking up at him.

"What?" he asked, a sexy smirk twitching his lips.

"I'm all yours" I replied.

Carlisle growled, twisting his hand in my hair and pulling me up towards him. Before our lips had chance to meet however, Alexander's cries echoed through the baby monitor.

"Well almost." I chuckled softly.

**CARLISLE POV**

"Carlisle...CARLISLE! Wake up!" Mae hissed, slapping my legs none to gently.

"Have mercy you wicked woman, I'm exhausted." I growled playfully as I turned over and buried my head beneath a pillow.

"Carlisle Cullen, if you do not wake up and get your ass out of that bed right now, we will never be having sex again...EVER". Mae hissed in a tone that I knew better than to argue with.

It felt like only minutes since I had watched Mae, wearing the T-shirt I had thrown over the chair, slip out of the room on slightly wobbly legs I was proud to see, to see to Alexander. However as my eyes snapped open, the alarm clock on Mae's night stand, told me that I had actually been asleep for almost four hours.

"What's wrong?" I mumbled running a hand over my face. It was still very early.

"We have visitors." Mae squeaked over her shoulder whilst frantically rummaging through her wardrobe.

"What the...I told Jasper, I didn't care if someone turned up at the station saying they were the one responsible for shooting JFK, I was off duty till Monday." I snapped as I swung my legs out of bed and prepared to give my best friend a mouthful.

"It's not Jasper." Mae said finally turning to face me, allowing me to notice for the first time how pale and anxious she looked.

"Then who?"

"Hello Carlisle, I'm sorry to bother you at home, especially after you've only just got back. But Kate and I are on our way to an official engagement in Ireland and we both, really wanted to talk you and Mae. Preferably privately...which isn't an easy thing at the moment, as you can imagine."

"No, I can imagine...Sir..." I stammered as I stared in stunned disbelief at Prince William, who was standing in my kitchen his hand out stretched to me, whilst his fiancée, was sat at my kitchen table feeding my giggling son his breakfast.

"Please call me Will, both of you, if anyone has earned the right it's both of you." The young man said seriously looking between Mae and I.

We sat at the table with coffee making small talk for a few moments. I could see Mae watching Alexander who seemed to be totally smitten with the beautiful princess, praying that he didn't indulge in his latest trick of placing his hands in his breakfast and then banging them down on the tray of his high chair. Thus covering whoever was feeding him, in a shower of what he was eating.

"Firstly, we'd like to give you this." William said, drawing a large cream envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket. "Without you, Mae...Inspector Whitlock and your team, there wouldn't be a wedding."

"And I wanted to thank you personally for what you all did. For keeping him safe for me, for giving us our second chance." Kate said suddenly, her eyes full of nothing but love for the man she so obviously adored.

She and William had been separated when Theirson and Julian had made their attempts on his life.

"We were just doing our jobs..." I began to argue.

"From what I've been told, or rather what I demanded to know, you and your team went above and beyond the call of duty, and were placed in some incredibly difficult and dangerous situations. I am truly sorry for that. " William said darkly. He was still young and had a lot to learn, but I could see a great strength and real heart in the future King.

"Inspector Whitlock was injured."

Mae laughed.

"As far as Jasper was concerned, it couldn't have come at a better time, got him out of the re-decorating Alice...his wife had planned." She said shyly.

"We're actually going to see them next. A few friends have some of her jewellery and I saw the pictures of your wedding in Tatler, your dress actually gave me some ideas for my own. It was so simple, but so elegant and really beautiful and Mrs Whitlock's jewellery really worked well. I was wondering if she could design something for me, to go with my dress for the reception."

"I'm sure...she'd be thrilled." Mae said in what must have been the biggest understatement ever, her cheeks flushing the most adorable pink.

" Yes, please don't be alarmed if she begins to talk at a speed and frequency only known to dogs, dolphins and aliens. That's perfectly normal." I said with a laugh, earning a genuine laugh in return from the Royal Couple.

"And as hard as what we went through on your case was, it focused both our minds on what was truly important to us. We had been forced to wait, for one reason and another, for a long time before we could be together, be happy, actually start living our lives. In a roundabout way, you gave Carlisle and I our happy ending, as much as we gave you yours." Mae said quietly as she scooped a now fed and bored Alexander out of his chair. I didn't realize I had done it, until Mae was sat perched on my knee, blushing furiously as I kissed the side of her head.

"Forgive me for asking, but did if you'd have known when you first met, how long, how much you'd have to go through to be together, to have this." Kate said gesturing round the room and towards Alex, "would you have still..."

" Yes" Mae said in a fierce unison that made William and Kate jump little, but smile knowingly, telling both Mae and I, that as hard as it had been for them to get to this point, and as hard as it was going to be at times in the future, they wouldn't change a thing.

"DADADADADADADADADA" Alexander babbled, fixing me with a gummy smile as he proceeded to wipe his sticky hands on my T-shirt.

Mae and I had been through frightening, heartbreaking, soul destroying things both alone and together. But I knew we would go through it again a hundred times over. Because some things, some couples really are supposed to be together.

Always

And forever.


	43. Chapter 43

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT.**

**Thanks to all for your amazing support. Real life is still being mean, but I thought I would try and respond to a few requests and start easing Carlisle and Mae into a little light ass kicking Cullen style, before their next big case. I have also, as requested, added more Alex. Hope you enjoy.**

**ESME POV**

"He's fine Mae. He's just woken up from his nap. I've just noticed how much like Carlisle he actually is, especially when he wakes up..."

"You mean the running the hand over his face and through his hair thing?" I chuckled in response to Edward's words, earning an adorably confused look and raised eyebrow from Carlisle.

Every morning and after a nap, Alexander would wake up stretch every muscle in his rapidly growing little body with a deep little sigh, before running his hand roughly over his face and through his hair, making it stick out in all directions. Just like his Daddy did. It was the cutest damn thing to watch, especially on the odd occasion I caught them doing it together.

"I was actually thinking of the whole grumpy 'do not talk to me, or expect me to make any sound other than a grunt or a snarl for the first hour I'm awake thing.' Edward laughed. "Master Alex is currently sat on Bella's lap having a bottle and glaring at me."

"We don't like to be rushed...we need time to wake up..adjust..." Carlisle pouted.

"Well, you are both at awkward ages, Alex being so young...you being so old..." Edward shot back, causing Carlisle to glare at the car's hands free unit as if Edward could actually see him.

"Thanks again for doing this at such short notice Edward..." I said after a few more minutes of playful banter.

"Not a problem, Bella and I have missed him...he's got so damn big already...and his speech is really coming on...only word I can't work out, is Dizzy..he does keep..."

"Dizzy is Danielle...she was spinning round and round on the spot, and we're convinced he heard us all to tell her to stop because she' make herself dizzy, as from that moment on...he's called her Dizzy." Carlisle explained in between curses aimed at a driver who had pulled out suddenly.

"Really?" Edward remarked sounding genuinely impressed. It had surprised us as well at first, but both Carlisle and I were fast learning that our beautiful boy as well as having the most loving temperament, he loved to both give and receive 'snuggles' as I called them, was intelligent. He had met all his developmental goals, he was walking, or toddling about on his strong little legs, with only the odd fall if he started to rush, which he tended to do. Or, if he tried to launch himself too fast at the football he would spend ages trying to kick straight. He was talking, mainly baby babble, but as Edward had said, his words were becoming clearer and he was interested in everything, causing the health visitor to remark that his terrible two's was going to be an interesting phase when it officially arrived in a couple of months time. "Mae, you must be so glad that Alex got your brains..." Edward teased.

"Goodbye little brother." Carlisle growled as he reached over and ended the call.

"Baby don't pout..." I teased gently when I noticed that Carlisle did genuinely look put out by Edward's comments. I had noticed the same reaction when the health visitor and other people kept only commenting on the fact that Alex had inherited all of Carlisle's physical attributes, including the bad ones like his large coppers feet.

"I'm not pouting." He huffed as he pulled the car into the kerb as we reached as close to our destination as we could get. Unclipping my seat belt, I turned in my seat and caught his hand before he could do same.

"Carlisle, yes,our son has inherited your devastating looks...most notably those blue eyes and strong shoulders that I know for damn sure mean that we will have a procession of girls knocking at the door when he's older. But despite what people say, he has also, inherited your intelligence. He's a thinker Carlisle, just like you are. You've seen the way he plays, especially with puzzles...he thinks...you can see his little mind working. Me, I'd just stick the pieces in any damn way...not our boy. I love to watch him...see the little crease between his brows, even hear him scream when it doesn't work...it's so you it's not funny. But what's even more you love, is his ability to radiate this sense of calm. You've seen what he's like with Danielle when she's in a mood. You've seen what he's like with Olivia when she's feeling low, we come in all stressed. He just watches us for a little while, lets us stomp around, then gives us one of those big gummy smiles that just light up the damn street and make you smile in spite of yourself. Before...giving you a hug, that you can feel in your damn bones..." I laughed.

Alex was maybe just over a foot tall and weighed twenty five pounds, but when he hugged you, he hugged you, using all of his small frame to try and make you feel how much he loved you. But more than that, he would also try and pat or rub your arm, or if he could reach your neck in a comforting manner whilst he babbled softly in your ear. It really was like being cuddled by a smaller version of Carlisle, who had a way of wrapping you up and rubbing your back, that made you feel that the whole damn world could start falling apart around you, but as long as you were in his arms, nothing could hurt you.

"He gets that all from you Carlisle...which kinda balances out the big feet and snoring thing..." I giggled giving him a quick kiss, before escaping out of the car as he began to growl.

"My son has good, solid, policeman's feet...and you know what they say about men with big feet." Carlisle sniggered as he locked the car.

"And everyone told me that, that was just an old wives tale...both you and your son prove that it is very much a reality." I replied, having to bite down heavily on the inside of my cheek as I saw the almost smug look that crossed Carlisle's face.

Men. It was amazing how he didn't mind Alexander sharing that physical attribute.

"Now...can we please go and do what we came for? It's been ages, since we've been able to go and torment some bad guys together."

"Now Agent Marshall Cullen, we are here to question Arran Meyer, to determine whether he in fact does have anything to do with the sudden appearance on the black market of forged American entry visas and green cards." Carlisle informed me in his most business like tone. But his eyes were twinkling with mischief. Whilst I had been back at work in a part time role and had even been out in the field on occasion, the only times Carlisle and I had been required to work together, had been in meetings. Until today.

My office had been monitoring the sudden and worrying arrival on the black market of forged US papers, trying to get a clearer picture of who was involved both inside the embassy and outside. And the one name that came up time and time again, the one face that showed up more than any other on the surveillance photos was that of Arran Meyer. So it had been decided that it was time to have Meyer face a formal interrogation, by as Frank Fisher my new boss put it, 'Meyer's worst fucking nightmare'.

I worked mainly in the mornings, chairing the main briefings, but for major cases, I would happily stay on, even though I found myself desperately trying to ignore the nagging, accusing voice in my ear, that chastised me for leaving Alexander with Alice or Mrs Doyle for longer than necessary. I adored being Alex's Mommy, but I knew and everyone who knew me, especially Carlisle, knew that I also needed to work. And thankfully, my baby boy was showing no ill effects from being away from me. In fact, he seemed to thrive on the company and routine, and if it was possible, seemed to look even more thrilled to see me and spend time with me. We tried to make it a game, as much for Carlisle and I as Alex, where we would say it was time to 'go catch the baddies' for us..and time for Alex to look after Alice and Danielle and Mrs Doyle.

He would happily go 'tecting for clooos ' as three year old Danielle called it. It was fast becoming clear that Danielle was going to be following in her Daddy's and Uncle Carlisle's footsteps. Her squeals of delight when she had been taken for a ride in a police car could be heard for miles and, she had no fear in trying to arrest Jake for stepping on one of her dolls. Alice had already planned her outfit for when her daughter became the first female Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

Surveillance had suggested that Meyer was starting to become a little nervous, so Carlisle had parked the car round the corner from his apartment building. The walk down long, tree lined streets, allowed us both to switch our focus from being Carlisle and Mae, doting parents to Alexander, to being DCI Cullen and Agent Marshall Cullen.

"Damn I hope he resists arrest...I suddenly feel the need to exert a little force." I growled a few minutes later as we entered the building. We had reached the security door of the converted art deco building, that the embassy rented out to its employees, to have it opened for us by a tall, tanned, young blonde girl in sprayed on lycra running gear, who had practically stripped Carlisle naked with her eyes.

Carlisle's soft chuckle echoed noisily round the tiled hall.

"Love, I'm all for a woman keeping in shape...but I draw the line at them having a tighter six pack than I do. I like the women in my bed to feel like women..." Carlisle said as we stepped into the old fashioned grilled elevator.

"Have many women in your bed do you DCI Cullen?" I replied, enjoying the banter despite my annoyance.

"Not anymore Agent Marshall...you see I've been seeing this one woman...an American like yourself...who is every inch a woman and who keeps me more than satisfied." He growled lowly in my ear, before stepping out of the elevator and striding ahead.

Damn that mans silver tounge I thought as I desperately tried to cool the hot blush I could feel heating my cheeks and lower.

Approaching the door, we heard the dull thud of loud music. Carlisle raised his fist and landed several heavy blows. It took a few moments, but finally the music was lowered and Meyer called out in a wary tone.

"Who is it?"

" Police Mr Meyer, Detective Chief Superintendant Carlisle Cullen...Serious Crime Initiative can you open the door please?" Carlisle said smoothly.

It was Carlisle's turn to growl in jealousy, as Meyer opened the door and couldn't hold back what we had discovered was his natural arrogant attitude towards women, smiling lasciviously at me as I stepped out from behind Carlisle.

"Forgive me, this is my colleague Senior Agent Mae Marshall from Europol..." Carlisle said tightly. As much as I hated not hearing my full name, experience had taught us that there would be times it was not always practical to use it. This was one of those times.

"So, what can I do for you?" Meyer asked as he helped himself to a bottle of designer mineral water from the large fridge and took a long draft. We had interrupted him in the middle of a work out in his impressive home gym.

I had to admit that I did not really miss my single days, when like Meyer and the blonde bimbo, I spent most of my weekends or any down time, working out, either for work purposes or because I had nothing else to do, and no one else to do it with in a strange city.

"We need your help Mr Meyer...or can I call your Arron?" I asked.

"Sure...if I call you Mae?" he shot back, positioning leaning forward over the counter towards me. His dark eyes reminded me of that of a predatory shark as they swept over me. I had to hold back a shudder as his freakishly long tounge snaked out from between his thick lips, ostensibly to capture a few drops of water, but I could feel as much as see, his eyes dragging over the small amount of flesh I had on display in my summer shirt with a vest underneath.

"Mr Meyer and Agent Marshall it is then." I replied cooly, earning a twitch of the lips from Carlisle. There were times when we allowed familiarity with suspects, to help build a rapport, but with Meyer we knew it was his way of trying to gain some kind of control and I certainly wasn't going to allow it, as much for my own sake as Meyers, as I could tell that Carlisle was fast reaching the edge of his control.

"So...what exactly is you want? I have plans for the weekend, even if you don't." Meyer replied his tone becoming just as formal as my own, but his eyes never leaving me.

"It has come to our attention during the course of several investigations, that certain target criminals have had in their possession, certain American visa's and paperwork, that we know for a fact, that they are not entitled too." I said quietly, calmly.

"Forgeries?" Meyer replied flippantly, stretching in an exaggerated manner that was to show me 'what I was missing' and demonstrate to Carlisle, the fact that he had at least twenty pounds on him.

It took everything I had not to laugh out loud.

"I'm afraid not. These documents are entirely genuine...and originate from your department." Carlisle continued moving smoothly to position himself between me and Meyer. As much as he was pissed that Meyer was openly undressing me with his eyes, it was also a practical move. As although Meyer was an arrogant SOB and would probably continue to try and talk his way of the situation, there was a chance he could panic. And as big as he was, he would find himself slowed down considerably by running into Carlisle. "That's why, we would like you to accompany us down to Scotland Yard, to take a look at the documents, the computer logs, try and help us decipher the various codes and dashes, maybe work out who exactly who is responsible." Carlisle said spreading his hands in almost a friendly manner.

"Can't...Cant it wait till Monday?" Meyer stammered suddenly finding himself a little unnerved as he was forced to fully appreciate Carlisle.

Damn I loved seeing my man work I thought to myself.

"Afraid not, it is a matter of security after all, and you know as well as we do, how careful we have to be these days, especially with the press breathing down our necks so closely."

"Ok...um...I just need to get some clothes on..." Meyer said, indicating the open bedroom door.

"Of course..." Carlisle said with a tight smile and a sweep of his hand. "but please don't be too long..."

I swore I saw Meyer shiver as he looked into Carlisle's icy blue eyes and felt the edge to his tone.

Carlisle and I were a little out of practice working together in the field, but it took us only seconds to recognise the sound we heard echo through the half cracked bedroom door.

"He's running" we said in unison.

I reached the bedroom window first to see Meyer's retreating form running cautiously along the scaffolding that we had no way of knowing was running along the back of the aging building.

"Son of a..." I hissed as without thinking I heaved myself through the window and took off after him.

"MEYER...YOU ARE ONLY MAKING THINGS WORSE FOR YOURSELF" I screamed as I edged cautiously along the wobbling planking. The panicked Meyer spared me a quick glance over his shoulder, before he slid heavily down a ladder onto the ground. I was close on his heels, fuelled by the desire to catch him, and the adrenaline buzz of allowing my muscles whose only real exercise these days came from the workouts that's I did at the gym, or that Carlisle insisted I take at the SCI, to really move.

Swinging down from the scaffold before I reached the ladder, I landed on one of a series of garden walls that ran along the back of the streets buildings and formed one of the sides to the alley that led to the street that a strangely out of breath Meyer was running down. In his panic, he had noticed neither, Carlisle's Mercedes parked across the entrance to the alley, or Carlisle leaning casually against the hood, one leg crossed over the other, arms folded across his chest.

Until now.

Looking between Carlisle and me, he like so many before him decided that I was the weaker link. And whilst he was right in a way, whilst I could put up a damn good fight and probably subdue him long enough for Carlisle to cover the short distance between us, I could be seriously hurt in doing so. What I had to do, was take Meyer down hard and fast, something I realised being up high, put me in a perfect position to do. I shot a quick glance sideways to ensure that Carlisle was moving towards us, then launched myself off of the wall with a small yell, knocking a surprised Meyer to the ground and landing heavily on top of him.

Meyer had quick reflexes and a long reach, but SCI workouts practicing moves like this with Jake, not to mention play fighting with Emmett, meant that I was prepared. Meyer attempted to throw me off of my position on his chest, but after a short tussle which revealed that despite his size Meyer had been in very few physical fights in his life and had never wrestled and the application of some pressure to a few key pressure points, I managed to pin him, just as Carlisle arrived.

"You took your time." I hissed.

"I'm sorry love, but you looked like you were having fun..." he joked as he roughly slapped a pair of cuffs on a dazed Meyer and dragged him to his feet.

"I wanna see my lawyer...that was police brutality..." Meyer mumbled.

Carlisle's laugh echoed noisily off the alley walls.

"Brutality...that wasn't brutality, that was her asking you nicely."

After booking Meyer into custody, where we were told he would have to stay until the following morning when Frank Fisher would return with some new intelligence, and enduring the teasing from the rest of the team Carlisle and I began the journey to Edward and Bella's London house, which was in fact Carlisle and mine old penthouse apartment near Tower Bridge.

We were stuck at some traffic lights when I touched Carlisle's arm.

"Do you mind dropping me off at home first love, and you going to collect Bubbs." I said quietly.

"Are you alright? You're not hurt?" Carlisle asked a little anxiously.

I had some cuts and bruises but they were nothing serious according to the station doctor.

"No love...I'm just...a little wired if I'm honest...the adrenaline is still pumping a little and I don't really want Alex coming home to a Mom who is bouncing off the walls." I said with a small chuckle. "I think I'll take a bath, have a glass of wine... hell, maybe I'll hit the home gym for a work out to try and calm down a little."

Carlisle said nothing as he swung the car around and headed for home.

"Carlisle I'm fine..." I said with a touch of annoyance in my tone as we reached home and Carlisle followed me inside. I just needed a little space to decompress, work of some of this nervous energy...I just needed Carlisle pressing me back against the hallway wall within seconds of the front door being closed and ravaging my mouth with hard almost bruising kisses.

"Do you have any...idea how damn sexy you looked taking Meyer down today?"he grunted into my neck as his large hands ran down my sides before slipping underneath the hem of my vest, my shirt had been ruined in the fight and caressing my bare and now hot skin.

"Is that...is that why you took so long?" I hissed as I arched into his touch. "You wanted to watch?"

"No love..." Carlisle chuckled as he laved the swell of my breast with his tounge, his warm breath caused my already aching peaks to stiffen and rub almost painfully against the material of my vest. "I just knew you'd kick my arse if I interfered too soon."

The snort of laughter, which caused my head to fall back of its own accord, was far from lady like, but I couldn't control it, especially as Carlisle was so right. I had needed this afternoons tussle with Meyer to prove to myself and to Carlisle in a way, that I still had what it took to cut it in the field. And Carlisle had known that. Just like he had known that whilst I had needed DCI Cullen out in the field,what I needed most now, to help me decompress, to come back to feeling more like Mae, Alexander's mom, was this. I needed my husband.

There were no more words, just the sound of the skin on skin and soft grunts and moans of pleasure as Carlisle and I joined together and reconnected.

"I won't be long...you have a bath, open the wine and I'll bring us in some take out...I think we've earned it. " Carlisle said as he laid a tender kiss to my forehead and headed back out the door after readjusting the few items of clothing he had loosened, and done his best to try and flatten his hair, which I had run my hands roughly through much to his delight.

All I could do was nod a little dumbly as I leant my now boneless frame against the doorway.

God I loved that man.

"Mamma...up...dinna..."

My eyes snapped open to find myself looking into the large blue eyes of my beautiful baby boy, who was sat on the bed beside me, Carlisle stretched out length ways behind him, gently patting my face.

"Hello baby..." I said with a genuine smile of delight. After Carlisle had left I had had a quick shower, finding myself feeling a lot more tired than I had before, before changing into a fresh vest and PJ pants and stretching out on the bed for what I had thought would only be a few minutes, but which as I looked at the clock, I saw was almost two hours.

"Did you have a good time with Uncle Edward and Aunty Bella?" I asked as I sat up and reached out to smooth down his wild blonde curls.

"Yep..." Alex announced before launching into a stream of almost intelligible but excited babble as he flung himself into my arms and attempted as was his habbit these days, to use me as a climbing frame.

I hadn't realised that I had cried out in pain until Alex had almost fallen backwards into Carlisle, his little face a mask of concern.

"Oh I'm sorry baby...silly Mummy had a big bump today..." I said reaching out towards him.

"Mummy big bump." Alex queried looking anxiously between Carlisle and me.

"Yes baby...see..." I said pulling up the leg up of my pants to show Alex the large bruise running down from my thigh across my knee.

"Poor Mummy had a big, big bump..." Carlisle said gently. "She's got a big, big sore..."

"Oh no...mummy sore" Alex babbled, his face full of genuine concern as he reached out a tentative hand towards my knee. My heart clenched with such love for this incredible little boy.

"Daddy tried to kiss it better...but it didn't work...I think Alex needs to try..."Carlisle said seriously, earning a curious look from Alex.

"It's ok baby..." I said with a small nod, desperate to try and move the look of concern from his face.

In the following ten minutes any aches and pains I might have felt were well and truly forgotten as Alex's first gentle tentative kiss, at Carlisle's encouragement, became a series of loud, wet noisy raspberries that had me shrieking with laughter. Finally I managed to wrap a wriggling and giggling Alex up in my arms and lay him down between Carlisle and I.

"Mumma better now?" Alex asked.

"Yes baby...Mumma feels much better now..." I said rubbing noses with him Eskimo style. And I wasn't really lying, as my frantic connection with Carlisle earlier and now my crazy ten minutes with my beautiful boy, who had such a huge and loving heart, had shown me that it didn't matter what damage men like Meyer tried to do to me. As long as I had my precious blue eyed boys, I would be just fine.


	44. Chapter 44

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN; Helloooo, is there still anybody out there? Well I know there are a few of you, who have sent me lovely messages asking about this story. I can't tell you just how much that support means at the moment. I know it has been a ridiculously long time and I apologise sincerely I really do. There are lots of reasons, some of which have still not really been resolved... but I won't bore you, I'll just say RL still doesn't like me at the moment. Anyhoo...this chapter which is set about a year and a half after the last one, (alex is 3 1/2) is angsty...but it is a necessary chapter to set up a possible sequel...yes I am still aiming for a sequel at some stage...RL and muses willing...I really hope you can find something in here to enjoy. Rated M for violence, dark images, and a seriously pissed off Carlisle.**

* * *

**About 15 months later**

**CARLISLE POV**

An anaemic looking sun was just starting to drag itself reluctantly up into the corner of the insipid blue sky, as the two vans full of police officers dressed in full riot gear rolled quietly to a halt in a secluded corner of the Grove Mews Housing Estate.

"Jesus this place really is grim..." Jasper grimaced as he unfolded himself from the passenger seat of the SCI pool car I had commandeered to follow the raid teams in.

And whilst I could see what he meant, as I glanced around at the two imposing, but decaying old tower blocks, which stood either side of a warren of alleyways, garages, and a children's playground whose meagre contents, had either been vandalised beyond repair, or covered in graffiti. I was able to feel only the barest amount of sympathy, for the poor souls who were forced to live here. My mind was focused solely, on the twenty five people from this estate, who had taken part in ten days of riots and looting, that had brought parts of London to a standstill. Hiding behind the 'cause' of a man who whilst high on drugs had been killed in a standoff with police, the looters who had moved across London in frighteningly organised packs , smashing, stealing, burning, and terrorising their way across London, had killed one person and injured sixty seven more.

Including, my wife and son.

"_Carlisle it's me...baby...all hell has broken loose here in town. A gang of about sixty, maybe seventy rioters have just stormed the town centre and begun looting...shit..."_

"_MUMMY!" _

"_It's alright baby...it's okay...Mommy won't let the big boys hurt you..."_

"_GIMME THE PHONE BITCH..."_

"_YOU LEAVE MY MUMMY ALONE!"_

_I have been beaten, stabbed, nearly strangled, been forced to leap from the boot of a speeding car whilst my hands were still bound, and fought to the death, with a man who was twice my size and desperate to kill me. But those incidents were nothing, compared to the stomach churning, heart stopping terror I felt, when having emerged from a long, boring, unproductive, but necessary meeting, I checked my messages to hear my wife and worse, my three and a half year old son, being terrified and as I would see to my horror later, hurt, by a group of what the media were terming 'thugs', but which I preferred to think of as animals. _

"Carlisle...CARLISLE...you ready? Sergeant Thomas wants everyone in position, before we're spotted. Last thing we need is for anyone to start running. This place is like a frickin maze...even with the maps to look at." Jasper huffed as with one final check to his stab vest, he turned to follow the Sergeant from the Met's tactical support unit, towards the entrance of the building that our Alpha team was about to raid. The Beta team, having been well briefed on their mission, were already quickly and quietly, moving towards the opposite building. Hiding their crouched bodies, as best they could in the heavy grey shadows the ageing buildings provided.

"Let's go." I grunted as I adjusted the tapes on my own vest, and slipped my extendable asp nightstick into my pocket.

_The end of the message had made it pretty clear, that Mae's phone had been stolen. Because although my wife could more than handle herself, especially against a thug like the one I'd heard threatening her, I knew that she wouldn't have done anything, that would risk putting Alex in danger._

_Alex... As terrified as I had been, I couldn't help but feel my heart swell with even more, if it were possible, love and pride for my brave little boy._

_He had sounded so terrified, but that hadn't stopped him from desperately, trying to protect his mother, who he adored almost as much, as I did. _

"_But he shouldn't have been the one to try and protect her...you should have been there..." I had hissed to myself as with a shaking hand, I began to dial_ _Jasper back at the SCI offices, whilst almost sprinting out of Scotland Yard._

_Whilst I had always known that Mae and I would never have a 'normal' domestic life, no matter how hard we tried, I had been determined that we would have more than the snatched moments we had been having recently, where I was either exhausted, stuck in my office buried under and pile of paper work, distracted, or in agony from the increasingly frequent stress headaches I was suffering._

_Twice now, I had been forced to let Emmett and Edward, take Alex swimming, or to the park. And whilst Mae could stay up to spend some time with me, in the evenings, or early in the mornings, when we would share a quiet breakfast together, or quietly and far too quickly for my liking make love, Alex was usually asleep when I both left and returned, to the house. _

_And it was a situation that was starting to really bother me. I was missing spending quality time with my intelligent, curious, loving, funny and brave as hell little boy, who had taken to calling me Daddy Cranky pants, because of my constant exhaustion and grouchiness during the limited time we were together. And it was why, I had cleared my schedule especially that afternoon, to give me time to have lunch with my wife, before spending the afternoon looking at trains, busses and whatever else, the London Transport museum had to offer, with my son who was currently obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine. _

"_Carlisle...they're here...one of the uniform boys recognised them and put them in the back of a patrol car." Jasper had said by way of greeting, the second our call was connected._

"_Thank fuck, for that...are they ok?"I demanded, my tone filling with trepidation_

"_Mae is seriously pissed off...they got her phone and her purse...she's got_ _a few bruises, they pushed her around a bit..." he said in a tone that although quiet and seemingly controlled, I knew from experience was one of anger._

"_And Alex?" _

"_He's got a badly bruised arm...it got twisted...here's Mae..." he said quickly, before Mae by the sound of things, had ripped the phone from his hand. _

"_Mae...Christ...I'm so sorry love... I should have been there...the damn meeting was running late...are you okay?"_

"_I'm ok Carlisle...pissed off more than anything...and just glad they got my personal phone, rather than my work phone...although I had all those pictures of you and Alex at the beach on their..." she said, her voice suddenly becoming rough with emotion. _

"This is us Sir...Flat 166B is the one on the end..." Sergeant Thomas wheezed slightly, as we reached the top of yet another flight of litter strewn concrete steps, which led out onto the narrow balcony which housed the eighth floor of flats in the building. Members of Alpha Team had peeled off from the main group as we had passed the second, fourth and sixth floors. Everyone but the Sergeant, Jasper and I, were in position.

"After you Sergeant..." I said motioning with my hand, for the thick set little man and his two colleagues, who were carrying the long, thick, metal battering ram between them, to lead the way. For as much as I wanted to charge down there, and kick the shabby front door from its hinges, I had to remember that the Met Commander in charge of the operation to round up the looters, was showing me a great deal of professional courtesy, in allowing me to take part in the raids that technically had nothing to do with my Department. Although as Jasper had pointed out, the man would have much rather dealt with me and Jasper, who were still technically policemen, rather than the shit storm which would have landed on his desk if Mae's boss Frank Turner, had gotten his way and sent a few of Mae's...less polite colleagues, round to flat 166B, to retrieve Mae's phone. Which although was classed as her 'personal phone', thanks to her job, was fitted with a high tech tracking device anyway.

Frank Turner I thought wryly, as I moved quietly after Sergeant Thomas and Jasper, really was a man after my own heart. His own anger at seeing how badly shaken Mae and Alex were, was almost as great as my own. He was a father of three, with a grandson of Alex's age, who he missed a lot, and as he had told me before, he would do whatever it took, to keep Mae who he always referred to as the 'best damn liaison agent, he'd ever worked with', happy. Hence his agreeing to my request to be the one who went to ask Mr Benjamin Green nicely, to return my wife's phone...which the techno bods in Mae's office had assured me as of an hour ago, was still very much in his possession.

As it was, Mae couldn't have given a shit about the phone, apart of course from the photo's which were no doubt lost, Green having changed the sim card when Mae's was shut down, what Mae wanted me to do most, was frighten the shit out of the animal whose actions had left our son with a badly bruised arm, and a head full of nightmares, which almost a month later, were still causing him to wake up screaming. A request which as the loving and dutiful husband and father I was, I was only too happy to fulfil. She would have been with me herself, but a potential Presidential visit and the fact that leaving Alexander for too long with even our closest friends at the moment was hard, due to his shock induced mood swings, meant that she was rushed off of her feet and as exhausted as I was.

"_NOOOOOOO! MUMMY...DADDY...BIG SCARY BOYS...LEAVE MY MUMMY ALONE...NOOOOOOOOOO...BIG BOYS...NOOOOOO...MUMMY...DADDY...HELP..."_

"_Alex...ALEX...its okay mate...Daddy's here...Daddy's here...you're safe...DADDY'S GOT YOU NOW." I had said, desperately trying to keep the fear and heartbreak out of my own voice, as I had rushed into Alex's room the night before and attempted to calm him out of the terrified state which saw him lashing out blindly at the 'scary big boys' that only he could see, tears streaming down his flushed face._

"_Daddy...Daddy...scary big boys...push Mamma over..." he babbled, his hands running roughly through his hair as he gazed at me, his big blue eyes still half fogged with sleep, shining large and over bright._

"_I'm alright baby...Mommy's right here baby...right here." Mae had insisted, dropping to the floor by the head of his bed, whilst I had sat perched on the edge, holding Alex's tiny shaking frame tightly against me. _

_Again his bed was as soaked as he was, but after Mae had quickly changed him into some clean PJ's and taken him to the toilet, we had laid him down between us in our bed, where he had turned to face me._

"_I'm sorry Daddy..."_

"_What for? Alex, you've done nothing wrong darling..." I'd said gently stroking his sweaty curls from his brow. _

"_But...I didn't look after Mummy..." he had stammered, before launching into a fresh storm of tears._

"Carlisle...I know you want to rip this little piece of shit into pieces for what he's done...but remember...this is not our operation...officially we're not even here..." Jasper said quietly in my ear, shaking me out of my painful musings once more, with that unnerving ability he seemed to posses of being able to gauge people's emotions, by watching even the slightest flicker of change in their body language.

"Don't worry Inspector Whitlock...I intend to be the epitome of professionalism and restraint..."

"I've got receipts...for all this stuff...my mum...she got it off the catalogue...didn't you mum?" Ben Green sneered, glaring at his mother in a way, that gave the rail thin, harassed looking women who stood in the kitchen doorway next to her son who towered over her, drawing heavily on a cigarette, no choice other than to nod her head in the affirmative.

"Very generous of you Mrs Green...tell me, did you enjoy your time in Dorset...very pretty part of the world, especially in the summer." I asked, keeping my tone as innocent and conversational as I could.

After Sergeant Thomas had with a respectful look in my direction, had given the word for the teams poised at doors all over the estate to go, I had headed as planned, straight up the stairs, closely followed by ?Jasper, to Ben Green's bedroom.

After being met a flurry of curses and demands to see a warrant...I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at the fact Green was able to quote 'his rights' at me, far quicker and more accurately than most of the police officers on the raid, I had politely asked him to cover up the rapidly shrinking erection he'd been fisting and join us in the living room.

It had been Jasper who had spotted Mae's phone resting next to the computer keyboard as it was plugged into charge.

As expected, Green had placed a new sim card in the back, but as I had scrolled quickly through the phone, I had seen a locked file, which had been saved to the phone and not the sim card, stored in the camera section. I wasn't sure if Green had not noticed it, or just left it when he realised that to delete it, he needed to open the file and delete each picture separately, but as I scrolled through the candid snaps of me buried up to my neck in sand, Alex with almost entire face covered in ice cream as he grinned at the camera, Mae's passwords were a combination of significant dates in our lives, I could feel the already tenuous control on my temper beginning to falter.

"Wot? Are you 'avin a laugh? I've never been to Dorset..." the woman snapped, before realising what she said and blanching...

"Forgive me, my mistake...this isn't you...or Ben...it's my wife...and my son..."

For what felt like the longest moment nobody moved, I wasn't even sure the now ashen faced Ben Green was even breathing as he looked at me.

Finally though, his cocky smirk returned as in a slightly more halting voice than before, he sneered;

"You can't touch me...I'll sue...police brutality..."

"I'm not going to touch you Ben...Sergeant Thomas will be the one who formally arrests you and takes you to the station...where you can produce all of the receipts for the new television, trainers, X Box, and...various other things his team have found" I said stepping forward and drawing myself up to my full height, so that I could use the few inches difference to look down upon him.

"I'll just be the one who passes on your details to my wife's employers, the ones who gave her this one...and who fitted the little tracking chip here in the top. You see, my wife she has a far more important job than I do...she works in security...National Security..." I said in answer to his confused face and unasked question.

"For the American Government...and as I'm sure you're aware...they are not quite as..."

"Lenient..." Sergeant Thomas offered innocently from the doorway of the living room.

"Thank you Sergeant...yes...not quite as lenient as we are...about attacks made on their security staff."

Was what I said unprofessional and threatening, could it have possibly prejudiced a possible conviction against Green?...Yes...as the Crown Prosecution Service barrister would tell me later, he very much doubted that even the most lient of judges would have been able to ignore the twenty thousand pounds worth of stolen goods in his flat, or the CCTV footage of him smashing a sports shop window with a hammer. Not that I gave a damn whether it did or not at that moment, as I was taking savage pleasure in the now terrified look that was flashing across Green's face as he processed my words.

And an even greater, almost animalistic delight in having to chase the spooked Green, as he had bolted back into the kitchen of his flat and launched himself out of the small window onto the small balcony, before with well practiced ease, he launched himself onto the drain pipe, which he proceeded to slide down, landing with only a slight wobble on the balcony below.

I vaguely heard Jasper and Sergeant Thomas yelling into their radios for men to follow him, but my main concern was on keeping Green's retreating back in my sights, as I launched myself after him, saying a silent prayer that the rickety looking drain pipe would hold me.

Landing on slightly wobbly legs, I found myself on the balcony of the seventh floor, the one floor which had no men on it.

"GREEN!" I wheezed slightly as I took off after his retreating form, which was bolting towards the stairs. Bursting through the door to the stairwell just behind him, I didn't think as I launched myself from the top of the stairs, and roughly tackled Green down onto the small concrete landing between the flights of stairs.

"GET OFF ME MAN...AH FUCK...YOU'RE HURTING ME...GET OFF..." Green whined as regaining my breath quicker than he could his, I roughly cuffed his hands behind his back and yanked his head back with a vicious yank on his greasy hair placing my lips against his ear, so I could hiss.

"This...you thieving...piece of scum...is what happens...when you pick a fight with men your own size...and not innocent women and children...especially my fucking innocent and woman and child..."

"You...you are so...fucking screwed man...you can't do this shit...you'll lose your job..." Green choked through his slightly swollen lips.

"Maybe, but honestly...do I look...or sound like I give a flying fuck? I demanded. "Nobody...touches my family...especially not scum...like you...and just for your information...this..." I said pressing my knee a little harder into his back. "Is me...being nice."

* * *

"Cause baby you're a firework. C'mon and show 'em what you're worth...Make 'em go...oh...oh...oh...As you shoot across the sky-y-y-Baby...you're a fireworrrk..."

As I came to stand unnoticed in the kitchen doorway, I couldn't decide what was making me smile wider. The rare sound of Mae singing along to the radio, or the sight and sound of Alexander chuckling in pure delight, as Mae danced him round the kitchen. Theatrically dipping him off of her hip, allowing her to blow small raspberries across his exposed stomach on the oh's.

"Is this a private party, or can anyone join in?" I said finally, causing both Mae and Alex to spin round to face me, a slightly guilty look on both of their flushed faces.

"Daddy!"

"You're home early." Mae squeaked, her eyes asking me a dozen different questions at once

"Do you have another headache?" Alex demanded, his little face immediately filling with concern and much to my horror, a little trepidation. Proving what I had feared was true, that my loving, sensitive and way too intelligent for three and a half year old son, had not as everyone assured me, forgotten about the incident a few weeks before when I had shouted at him quite harshly for making what felt like an almost deafening amount of noise, as I had struggled with yet another stress induced migraine.

"No mate, I haven't got a headache..." I said as I walked towards them. "I just got all my work done...and really wanted to come home to see you and Mummy...before you were both in bed for once. It's not much fun, being stuck in an office all by myself, eating a mouldy old sandwich for dinner." I sighed, pulling a face as I spoke my last words, earning a small smile from Alex and a worried crease of the brows from Mae.

After taking a moment to take in what I had said, Alex smiled, before announcing proudly

"We're having 'sanya...Mummy and I made it..."

"I wondered what that yummy smell was...are we having chips too?"

"NO! You both could do with eating a few more fruits and vegetables..." Mae said sharply, as she perched Alex on one of the work tops and turned back to the oven.

"But Mae...we're growing boys...you can't expect us to eat lettuce...that's rabbit food!" I argued playfully.

"Yeah Mum...I'm not a rabbit!" Alex piped up.

I couldn't help the small yelp that escaped me as Mae swatted me across the backside with a tea towel and gave me a warning glare, which of course set my son, who was sat on the work top watching us with amusement shining from his big green eyes, off into another fit of deep, chuckling laughter.

"No, you're not a rabbit...you're a firework...but you can't be a firework that flies high in the sky, if you're tummy is full of heavy old chips now can you? You won't get off the ground...you'll be too fat" she challenged, playfully poking Alex's little tummy.

"And as for you..." she said turning on her heel to face me, only to find that thanks to the noticeable height difference caused by her lack of shoes, she had to tug on the end of my loosened tie, to pull my face down closer to her own. A move which I complied with readily, as she gave me a necessarily brief, but still warm kiss, and placed her lips dangerously close to my ear and purred "You're in training...because I fully intend on keeping you to your promise, of making sure that I spent the entire twenty four hours of my birthday in a bed, whether it be in a four poster bed in Paris like we planned, or just upstairs being licked...sucked...and..."

"Mummy, I'm hungry...when's dinner ready?"

"Worshipped...Don't worry darling...I'll be more than up to the task..." I growled, dropping a kiss to the top of Mae's head, as she leant against me for a minute, snorting with laughter into my shoulder at Alex's perfect timing.

"So, what's all this about you being a firework?" I said suddenly, making both Mae and Alex jump as I tried to control my thoughts, which were rapidly falling into inappropriate territory.

"I'm gonna be a firework...that goes WHOOOSH...BOOM! Aren't I Mummy?" Alex exploded excitedly, his hunger forgotten for a minute as he began to tell me all about the upcoming Fourth of July pageant his pre-school was holding.

Mae and I had decided that we wanted Alex to be aware of both his British and American heritage and had followed Alice and Jasper's lead, by enrolling him into the Kennedy Churchill International School, a small, but friendly and stimulating school used by a lot of American Embassy staff. And whilst it had been quite a wrench for Mae and I to see our baby starting 'school', Emmett had jokingly asked which of us had vetted the parents and staff of Alex's new class mates, only to choke on his beer as he saw the guilty blush that had covered both our faces, as we admitted that we both had. Alex had, after a slightly nervous start, settled in really well to the three mornings a week he spent at the pre-school, making two new friends called Peter and Billy by the end of the first day.

And both boys had already proven themselves to be great friends, as they watched over Alex when he had come nervously back to class after a week at home. Both Mae and I had been nervous wrecks the entire morning, worrying that he would lash out in fear at suddenly being faced with a large crowd of noisy people. But Dr Webber and Sue had told us, that the only real way we could help him get over the trauma he'd been through, was to try and keep to his routine. And Dr Webber had also added that she thought that there was something else rather than fear bothering Alex and fuelling his nightmares, and after what he'd said last night, I had a feeling that she was right, and that I knew what it was.

"Alex...do you know what I did today?" I asked as I lowered myself to the floor beside the bath I had just run for Alex.

"Nope...what?" he said distractedly, as he used his rubber duck to sink his boat and send another wave of bubbly water crashing over the side of the tub and against my shirt.

"I arrested someone."

"Really? Mummy says you don't do that anymore...unless they are really, really bad...you get Uncle Jasper to do it instead." He said, his head snapping round to face me, his face now full of interest.

"She's right...usually I get stuck doing all the boring stuff..." I said pulling a face which caused Alex to giggle. "Do you want to know who I arrested?"

"Was it someone really, really bad?" he asked nodding, his eyes widening a little

"I arrested...the scary big boy who hurt you and Mummy..."

I felt my heart clench painfully as I saw his little body tense and his eyes dart nervously over my shoulder to the doorway, almost as if he expected to see Green standing there.

"Nooo...did he hurt you?" he demanded.

"I'm fine mate...just fine..."

"Promise?" he demanded once more, as he fixed me with his large scared blue eyes.

"I promise..." I said rubbing his water slicked back. "I just wanted to tell you...that that big scary boy is now in prison...and that he won't be able to hurt you or Mummy again..."

"Ever? Will he be in prison forever Daddy?"

"No mate...but it will be for a long, long time..."

The truth was Green would probably only have to serve a two maybe three years for his crimes, but to a three year old, that was a long time.

"That's good..." he said finally, absently pushing his boat through a drift of bubbles. "I'll be a big boy then...and I can bash him...like this." He said smashing his hand down in the water.

"Heh heh...you...you don't need to bash anyone...unless you want to get arrested too?" I said hating the look of anger I saw on his face.

"No Daddy...but..."

"But nothing Alex...you were the bravest boy ever, that day...and I am so very, very proud of you..." I said, wiping my hand roughly across my face in an attempt to stop him from seeing the tears I could feel pooling in the corners of my eyes.

"But...I...I didn't look after Mummy...like you told me too..." he said softly, his bottom lip beginning to tremble slightly.

No son I thought bitterly, that's my job.

"Oh yes you did...you gave me the biggest cuddles...and wiped my face when I was crying...AND...You found the policeman who took us to Daddy's office and uncle Jasper." Mae said seriously as she slipped into the room and perched on the edge of the toilet, pulling on my shoulders gently, so that I was sitting between her legs.

We watched as the small crease formed between Alex's brows, as he took in what she had said, before coming out with a thoughtful

"Oh yeah..."

"And...Daddy and I think, that doing all that means that you are a big enough boy, to have this..." Mae said handing me the small bag she'd brought in with her.

"Unca Edward has one of those." Alex exclaimed as he saw me withdraw the small leather cuff.

"I know, now you get one too..." Mae said, leaning forward to rest her chin on my shoulder.

"Why?" Alex demanded.

Looking back at Mae, I could see that she was fighting a smile as well. Our beautiful, brilliant, little boy was at the stage, where every situation warranted a dozen questions.

"Because...even though you were really scared, you were as brave and strong as the lion...and you kept Mummy safe for me..." I said, leaning back a little into the feel of Mae's hand running soothing along my spine as she heard and felt me battling with my emotions once more.  
"What's the ion's name Daddy? Unca Edward says he doesn't have one...but everyone has a name..."

"His name's..."

"Cullen..." Mae said quickly.

"But that's our name..."

"That's right...only people called Cullen...only members of our family...can have a lion like Cullen."

"Do you have a lion Mummy?"

"Yes Baby, Daddy brought me a beautiful necklace on the day we got married..." she said dropping a kiss on my shoulder.

"How come you don't wear it?"

"Because it's very heavy and much too precious to wear every day...I will show it to you though."

"But why...why do only we have a ion?"

"Because years and years and years and years ago...a man called Philip Cullen...decided that he wanted to show everyone else, how brave and strong the Cullen family...our family was. And the biggest, bravest, and strongest animal in the world is a lion...so he made a drawing, and put it on some pieces of jewellery...like Mummy's necklace...and my ring..." I said holding out my hand "And then...he gave it to all the big girls and boys in our family, to show them how very special they were to him...and to show any scary big boys, that they couldn't frighten us..."

"Because Culun the ion, would eat them up!" Alex said his face lighting up with excitement, as his little mind began to wander...

"Something like that..." I chuckled

"But Daddy...I'm not speshial ..." he said, his face creasing in confusion and a little sadness.

"You may not be special to anyone else...but to Mummy and me...you...you are the most special little boy EVER...and we would never let anyone hurt you..." I said so fiercely, that I could see I had scared him a little.

"Cause I'm a Culun?

"That's right...you are Alexander Jonathan Cullen...and we love you...very...very much...even if you do have stinky toes..."Mae said breaking the tension beautifully, as she moved to sit beside me and made a grab for Alexander's foot, causing him to throw his wet head back and laugh, a deep, infectious belly laugh, as she pretended to be sick as she sniffed it.

"No Mummy!"

"Yes Alex...you have the stinkiest toes ever...Pooh!"

"No Mummy..." he said, his little face falling serious for a moment. "I love you more."

It was a little ritual we had developed over the years, saying that we loved each other more than all the sweets, toys in the world. And whilst I knew my son meant what he said, I knew there was no way his love could begin to match what I felt for him or his beautiful and very wet mother, right at this moment.

* * *

**Getting the Cullen cuff won't suddenly cure Alex's nightmares, but it will help..and there is no way I can put that gorgeous boy through too much angst. The riots I have written about, actually happened in London during the summer and I took Alex's nightmares from what one woman told reporters happened to her son when they were caught up in it **


	45. Chapter 45

**SM OWNS ALL THINGS TWILIGHT**

**AN;Thank you so much to those of you who R/R last chapter. So glad you liked it. No it wasn't a really happy chapter but a necessary one I'm afraid as Carlisle, will soon have a big decision to make about his future. This chapter is a little bit of lemony fluff to soften things a little, hope you can find something to enjoy. Not sure about next update, I could have to move house soon..landlord is an ass..but I promise I will try very damn hard not to leave it quite so long as before. Once again, I just really want to thank you for hanging in there with me x **

"Cover me in kisses baby, cover me in love...roll me in designer sheets..."

"That's the plan Mrs Cullen, this time tomorrow, I fully intend to have you wrapped and possibly tied in designer sheets..."

"Jesus...Carlisle you scared me..." I squeaked as I turned slowly in the shower to face my husband, who had just snuck in behind me and was now pressing his long, lean, and very naked body against mine.

"I'm sorry...would you like me to leave?" he asked innocently.

"Is Alex asleep?"

"Happily dreaming of the Thomas the Tank Engine and Sean the Sheep Marathon, Emmett promised him while we are away." he sighed as he walked me the half a step back into the wall of the shower, and braced his hands either side of my head.

Whilst I had been worried about leaving Alex so that Carlisle and I could go on the weekend break to Paris we had planned for my birthday, he was sleeping through the night again now in his own bed, but he could still be a little clingy and whiny, especially in busy areas. I knew that he would be perfectly safe with Emmett and Rose, who he adored almost as much as they adored him. Rose had even commented dryly, that she wasn't sure who was more excited, Alex or Emmett.

"Then I'd love it, if you stayed and scrubbed my back..." I purred going to turn round again, only for Carlisle to stop me.

"But what about the spots you've missed on your front?" he asked in mock concern.

"What spots" I asked looking down at myself.

"These two spots...here...and here..." he said, his voice dropping to that deep sexy growl that went straight to my core, as he dipped his head to gently suckle, then nip at first one, then the other of my already pebbled peaks.

"Ohhhh yessss...those..." I whimpered softly, my head falling back against the glass with a soft thump as I arched myself backwards in an attempt to give Carlisle better access to my chest, as my hands found purchase in his slick hair

"And I do believe..." he said a few minutes later, letting one swollen nipple slide from his mouth with a soft pop, "that I saw a little smudge here..." he said dropping to his haunches, and laying a hot, open mouthed kiss to my navel, before allowing his tongue to flick out and probe inside.

"Carlisle...pleeeease..." I hissed, forced to grip his shoulders as I felt my increasingly wobbly legs threaten to give way, as he continued his careful, precise, ministrations which were rapidly setting my skin and now throbbing core on fire.

"Oh god...you have no idea...how much I want it to be the weekend already...so I can hear you...cry out properly..." he growled as he rose back up to his feet and slipped his hands beneath my ass, lifting me and balancing me carefully against the wall of the shower as lined himself up against me.

As it was, he had to listen to me moaning his name in his ear over and over again, as I wrapped my legs tightly as I could around his undulating hips, grinding down against his every thrust, desperate to take him with me as I fell over the edge of a much needed release. However I quickly got the feeling, as I listened to the deep moans, and stuttered words of affection that he moaned into my shoulder and hair, as I repeatedly, clamped my inner muscles down tightly around him, holding him deep within me, that he would probably not mind waiting the two extra days.

"I drawed the card all by myself..."

"You drew the card...and I see that...it's beautiful...very...glittery..." I said, smiling at my proud son, whilst trying not to laugh at my husband, who despite his best efforts, still had flecks of glitter in his hair from helping Alex the night before.

It had been beyond sweet, as Alex had informed me seriously that he and Daddy had secret things to do...and that I wasn't allowed into the kitchen. The result had been the huge card which depicted me, Carlisle, Alex and Cullen the lion, eating birthday cake in the garden.

I also had two new books I had wanted and a bottle of very expensive perfume with a note from Carlisle, telling me that this was all I needed to bring with me to Paris.

"So you'll... be back... in three sleeps..." Alex said suddenly through a mouthful of the pizza we had ordered for a little birthday party we were having, the night before Carlisle and I left for Paris.

"Yes baby...and Daddy and I will call you every night before you go to sleep." I said seriously, as I absently reached across the table to wipe the sauce from his mouth.

"And can...I take my 'ion 'ight..?"he queried a little nervously

Whilst receiving the Cullen crest and the story of Cullen the lion had helped Alex, he did still have the odd disturbed night. But the Lion King night light Carlisle had found him, which shone the images of the Disney lions across the ceiling, had really helped him settle.

"Of course you can...Uncle Emmett is really jealous and wants to see your light himself." Carlisle said

"But he can't keep it! Only Culan's can haff ions..."

"Yes honey that's right, but remember what I told you before...we share...especially with the people we love..." I said "And we love Uncle Emmett don't we..."  
"Course! But no one would woud be able hurt Unca Emmett...he's as big as a...as bear." Alex said holding his little arms wide.

"Sometimes son...even the biggest and strongest bears get scared and need someone to help them." Carlisle sighed

"Not you Daddy...you're not scared off anythink..." Alex proclaimed.

"Except Mummy, when I don't put the rubbish out...or eat all her ice cream!" Carlisle teased, making Alex laugh. But as I looked across the table at my husband, I could that his smile did not quite reach his eyes and worse, I could see something that I hadn't seen since those dark days after our trip to Volterra. I could see uncertainty and... fear.

But as worried as I was, I didn't push Carlisle, knowing that he would talk to when he was ready. And I did not want to do or say anything to take away the love, happiness and excitement I saw shining in his eyes from the moment we boarded the Euro Star to Paris.

"Bon Anniversaire Mon Ami..." He said his face bathed in the most beautiful loving smile, as he had leant across the small table in the first class compartment we were sitting in, raising his champagne flute.

"You spoil me..." I chided gently, leaning forward to clink glasses and return his brief but warm kiss.

"Not nearly as much as I'd like too..." he growled. "But for two whole days and nights...I can and you can't argue..." he sang, his face lightening with almost childish delight.

"We'll see..." I growled.

"Ha...sorry my love, whilst 'we'll see' may work with our son...it doesn't with me...not this weekend."

A fact I soon realised as our chauffer driven town car, pulled up outside the imposing, exclusive and stunningly beautiful and expensive Hotel George V on the Champs Elyeese.

Whilst I had been too some beautiful places both with Carlisle and as part of my work, the columned entrance and sumptuous decoration of our Suite Anglais, a sprawling suite on the seventh floor of the hotel, which had been decorated to resemble a 19th century London apartment, boasting it's own lounge and dining area, a stunning view of the Marble courtyard and a huge, sumptuously draped four poster bed, was truly breath taking.

As was the view of the Seinne from the little restaurant by the river that Carlisle took me too, later that night. The river shimmered beneath the thousands of lights which twinkled from each bank and bridge.

"Are you having a good time darling?" Carlisle asked, reaching his hand across the table to cover my own.

"Are you kidding? Carlisle...this...being here with you...it's wonderful...stunning..." I breathed as I raised our joined hands to press my lips against them.

"It's no less than you deserve...especially after everything you've been through lately." He said, his eyes darkening for a minute as a storm of emotion flashed through them.

"It's not been the easiest time...but we...we got through it...together..." I said, raising our joined hands to my lips once more as I looked across at him.

"Us against the world huh?" he sighed, a sad smile twitching his lips.

"ALWAYS!" I said a little louder than I meant to.

"I'm sorry darling...ignore me...you know what I'm like..."

"Too damn well..." I said standing up and moving round the table towards him, not giving a damn about the looks people were giving me as I lowered myself sideways onto Carlisle's lap. Placing my lips against his ear and causing him to shiver slightly beneath me as I let my tongue sneak out to wander round the rim for a second, I whispered

"Do I really need to get the handcuffs out again?"

Whilst I had hated, having to do something so drastic as to handcuff Carlisle and force him to talk to me following what happened in Voltera, I would do it again in a heartbeat, if it meant stopping him from beating himself senseless with guilt the way he had done before.

I felt rather than heard the deep chuckle which rumbled in his chest.

"Now there's a thought..." he growled, his eyes darkening once more but this time with lust, as he looked at me.

"I'm serious Carlisle..." I hissed.

"So am I..." he groaned. "But no darling...I promise...I know...I really do...and I will be fine...especially if you let me do something I haven't been able to do in too damn long." He said, his voice sounding almost pained.

"Carlisle, I'm pretty sure they have laws against lewd behaviour in public here as well..." I giggled. I was still concerned, but as I looked deeply into his eyes, I could see...I could feel inside that he was telling the truth. That what he needed more than anything else at this moment was for us, just to be us.

"Don't tempt me...Minx..." he said, giving my sides a playful squeeze as he gave me a brief but passionate nipping kiss to the lips. "Dance with me..." he said, his face shining with almost childlike enthusiasm in the flickering candle light.

Stepping out onto the restaraunts fairy light bedecked terrace, where a small band was set up in the corner, was truly magical. But as Carlisle took me in his arms and pulled me tightly against him, I could see nothing other the love shining in his eyes, hear nothing, except his voice. Soft, yet with that deep, rich, loving timbre, that caused my mind body and soul to ache with love and need for him, as he crooned softly in my ear;

"_When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do is take a look at you...then I'm not so blue._

_When I'm in your arms, nothing seems to matter, my whole world could shatter...I don't care"_

"Oh Lord...if this is a dream...please...please...pleeeease...don't let me wake up yet. Not when the gorgeous...blonde sex god lying between my legs...is soooo close, to where I...reeeally need him to be..." I moaned sleepily, earning a deep, husky chuckle from Carlisle, which only caused me to moan and arch towards him even harder, as his warm breath blew across the skin of my stomach, which he was in the middle of covering in hot, open mouthed kisses. Having decided to ease me into my birthday, by retracing the torturous, teasing circuit I had been dimly aware of feeling his hands take a few moments before, with his dangerous mouth and tongue.

"Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday...my beautiful wife..." he breathed, pausing to gaze up at me with a truly carnal smile twisting his lips and glittering in his hooded eyes, before dipping his head once more and punctuating the final few words of his own version of the song,

"You look like a goddess...and you...taste like one...too..."

With long swipes of my aching hot core.

I have never been a fan of birthdays, especially after I hit thirty. But as I lost myself to the overwhelming sensations Carlisle was creating in me, as he swiped, licked, sucked, and allowed his tongue, to imitate what I hoped, another sensitive part of his anatomy would do to me very soon, I figured I could make an exception.

"God...you really are beautiful..." Carlisle sighed ten minutes later, as he crawled back up my body, to lie beside me. His hand reaching out as it always did, to push my stray curls, back from my face and behind my ear.

"Well...starting the day...with a pretty...damn intense...orgasm...does tend, to give a girl...a certain...glow..." I chuckled softly as I pulled him towards me, and brushed his lips with my own.

"The first...of many..." he growled, before claiming my mouth almost roughly with his own.

God...I had forgotten just how amazing it was just to do nothing else but kiss this man I thought, moaning softly as I let my tongue tease, taste and explore his mouth. He tasted of toothpaste, cigarettes, me, and something that was uniquely Carlisle and I couldn't get enough of it.

It had been too damn long.

Whilst I had no complaints the sex life we managed to squeeze in between work and caring for Alex, I like he had told me the other night in the shower, had missed this. Having the time to properly reconnect and enjoy the beautiful, strong, sexy man that was my husband. My Carlisle. And whilst I knew that today, my birthday, was supposed to be all about him giving me twenty four straight, of pleasure. He had deduced that he would probably need at least that long, to make me come once for every candle on my cake. A plan I only managed to talk him out of, when I told informed him that the physical exertion on us both would probably leave poor Alex an orphan, who would have to bear the burden of being the child whose parents had shagged themselves to death. I knew that what would give me the most pleasure, both physically and emotionally, was to watch him come undone.

The last few months had been insanely busy and stressful and not only because of the fall out from the London riots, which had badly shaken not only Alex, but both of us as well. With me having to deal with some unexpected and unwanted, flash backs to the night I had been surrounded by a gang of drug runners in Florida and left for dead. And Carlisle almost drowning in the guilt he felt, over the fact he had not been there for Alex and I when were in danger. And whilst I thanks to a couple of sessions with the company shrink and a couple of nights just being held, by my loving and supportive husband, I had been able to force my demons back into the box we all had, where we stored those dark thoughts and memories. I knew that Carlisle was, despite his assurances, still struggling. As although he loved his job and he did, when he was allowed to actually be a detective and not an accountant, diplomat, and scapegoat, for the increasing failings and short sightedness of those above him, he loved Alex and I, and the safe little family unit we had fought so hard to make for ourselves even more.

"Damn...I must really be losing my touch...for you to wander off on me like that..."

"Huh...oh...no...I'm sorry baby..."I said quickly, snapped out of my worried thoughts by Carlisle nibbling on the sensitive skin behind my ear. "I was just thinking..."

"I saw that..." he said as he pulled back a little, resting his head on the pillow beside me, but not untangling his legs from mine, or loosening the grip of the hand he'd placed on my hip as he's pulled me too him and proceeded to 'snog the face off me' as he had jokingly called it.

"Alex will be fine love..." he said softly.

"I know that..." I said, reaching out a hand to cup his now worried face.

"I was actually thinking...about how sometimes...it is just as much fun...to give pleasure...as it is...to receive...it." I giggled as pushing against Carlisle with all my strength, I rolled us over so that I was sat astride him, gazing down into his handsome face and those fathomless blue pools that I could happily spend forever gazing into.

Moving Carlisle's hands from my waist, I proceeded to link our fingers and push his arms out to the sides, before leaning forward slightly and kissing him softly.

"I love you Carlisle Cullen...so damn much...I know I don't get as much chance to say it anymore...but god I do..." I sighed.

"I know that Mae...you don't need to say it darling...I see it...I feel it..." Carlisle rasped, his dark eyes swirling with emotion as he looked back at me.

"But I want to say it Carlisle...I want to say it while I can, while there is nobody here to hear us, or disturb us...while it's just you...and me..." I said dropping a kiss to the edge of his jaw, "I love you..." I said as I lowered my mouth to the strong column of his neck, gently swiping across his adams apple, "I love you how much you love me...and our baby boy...how you care for us...make us both feel so safe..."before suckling at his pulse point, which throbbed as he growled my name.

"I...want you to know my wonderful...strong brave man..."I breathed, stopping to smirk up at him, as my gentle graze of his nipple with my teeth, had provoked a deep growl that I could feel vibrating in his chest. "That whatever it is...that is bothering you...scaring you...in here...or here..." I said freeing my hands from his to touch his head and my heart. "You can tell me...we will work it out...because baby you know it's me and you against the world...always...and I will always...always have your back."

"I know love...I do..." he had moaned softly, twisting his hands into my hair and pulling me down to kiss me. "But right at this moment...I rather like you having my front..." he had chuckled, before gripping my hips and rolling us back over so that he was looming over me.

"Please Mae...I promise...when I can make sense of what it is I'm thinking...what I'm feeling...I will tell you...I'll have to tell you...because I know that I'll need you...you're love and your support. But right now...what I need...is to hear you say you love me again...I need not to think...I need to just feel...you...us..." he said, his voice almost pained as he slid into me, pausing to give himself as well as me time to adjust to the feeling of being so intimately joined again.

And being the loving, dutiful wife that I was, I did as my husband asked, as wrapping my arms and legs tightly around him, I called out time after time, just how much I loved him forever and always.


End file.
